Harrisburg, Pa. − October 31, 2025 − On Tuesday, Senator Maria Collett (D-12 Montgomery, Democratic Caucus Chair) joined her Senate Democratic Caucus colleagues to announce the Pennsylvania Food Bank and Hunger Relief Grant Program, legislation that will allocate $62M in interest earned from the Rainy Day Fund to provide critical support to food banks and Meals on Wheels across the Commonwealth.
Due to the federal government shutdown, two million Pennsylvanians who rely on SNAP to feed themselves and their families – including nearly 63,000 people in Montgomery County– will stop receiving payments on November 1, 2025.
“Making sure my constituents can put food on their tables is my top priority in the face of this federal Republican SNAP shutdown,” said Collett. “While food pantries and community members are stepping up to support their neighbors during this crisis, the need for food assistance is just too great. With this $62 million proposed investment, PA Senate Democrats will deliver desperately needed resources to the seniors, children, and families who have been left in the lurch.”
While the Commonwealth cannot replace the $366 million in monthly SNAP payments Pennsylvanians receive from the federal government, the state legislature has the responsibility to utilize the resources they do have to ensure food bank shelves remained stocked.
“We’re facing a perfect storm in many ways. At Manna, demand for food from people in need has been rising for years, and we’re now providing record amounts of meals and groceries and serving a record number of people,” said Sheldon C. Good, Director of Development and Strategic Direction at Manna on Main Street. “Meanwhile, we have also experienced a sharp reduction in food donations from several key sources, including from our regional food bank partners due to federal funding cuts. This means it’s increasingly challenging for Manna to maintain sufficient food for our programs and the people we serve, and that’s before any rise in demand we’ll see starting next week as people don’t receive their SNAP payments. This is an all-hands-on-deck moment.”
In addition to the grant program proposed this week, Senator Collett is hosting a food drive at her district office benefiting Manna on Main Street as the holiday season approaches.
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