Federal courts last week ordered the Trump administration to partially fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) this month after it suspended the program on Nov. 1.

The news was welcomed by Island officials who have been bracing for more than 1,000 Vineyarders to be affected by the cuts to the federal food assistance program, though they still had concerns about food security moving forward under the federal government shutdown.

“The reinstatement of any benefits is such welcome news to anyone who counts on SNAP to put food on the table, but we should never have been in this situation to begin with,” said Noli Taylor, a co-executive director at Island Grown Initiative, a nonprofit that runs a food pantry in Vineyard Haven. 

The Trump administration had previously announced that it would not use an emergency fund set aside for SNAP and the program would be suspended in November due to the shutdown. But on Friday, federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ruled that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers SNAP, is legally required to use SNAP contingency funds to support the program. Twenty-six states were listed as plaintiffs in the case heard in Massachusetts, arguing that the USDA’s decision to withhold SNAP funds was “irreparably harming” plaintiff states and violated the Administrative Procedure Act.

“The Trump Administration just admitted what we have known all along — this funding was available this entire time and the President could have been using it to prevent American families from going hungry,” said Gov. Maura Healey in a statement on the rulings.

Operating SNAP nationwide costs $8 billion per month. The SNAP contingency fund will release roughly $4.6 billion, which will partially fund SNAP benefits for the month of November. Beneficiaries will not receive the full benefits they rely on each month, and they will also see delays in receiving their funds.

While a partial reinstatement of funds would help Islanders on SNAP, the upheaval still leaves a massive hole in food support on the Vineyard, according to Ms. Taylor.

“We know that even the full SNAP benefit is not sufficient for most families to put enough food on their tables,” she said. “There are additional funds the USDA could tap to fully fund benefits, so we are continuing to advocate for that.”

To Ms. Taylor, the Trump administration’s revocation of SNAP benefits is not just a temporary crisis, but an indicator of longer term changes to come. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is set to cut $186 billion in SNAP funding over the next decade by introducing new eligibility requirements, including increased work requirements that will burden seasonal communities like the Vineyard.

Ms. Taylor said many Islanders have reached out to Island Grown for help in the days since benefits were frozen on Nov. 1.

“People are afraid about losing their benefits,” she said. “So many people are on the edge already. The cost of living on the Island is so high and many people are struggling to access the food they need.”

Governor Healey announced last week plans to release $4 million to support food banks across the commonwealth, including the Greater Boston Food Bank, which sends 8,000 pounds of food to Island Grown each week.

It is unclear when the government shutdown will end and if SNAP will be operational come December, Ms Taylor said. Amid the uncertainty, she said Islanders have shown up to support their neighbors in need.

“Along with the outpouring of concern and need has been such an incredible community response of people who want to help, and that is really encouraging,” Ms. Taylor said.