SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — The fight over SNAP benefits continues. Friday afternoon, a federal appeals panel ordered the White House to fully fund payments for the month of November.
But the Trump Administration has now asked the Supreme Court to intervene.
RELATED: Supreme Court justice temporarily pauses order requiring Trump administration to fully fund SNAP
The USDA is already sending out that money to people in at least nine states, including California.
Some Bay Area residents have already received their full SNAP payments. It comes in addition to money provided by the City of San Francisco through a public-private partnership with the Crankstart Foundation.
“I get food from the SF Marin Food Bank on a weekly basis, but it doesn’t cover everything,” said Troy Brunet from San Francisco.
Brunet visits the San Francisco Marin Food Bank once a week.
“Living with HIV and AIDS, and a deterioration of the bone, I need to have healthy food,” Brunet said.
Brunet typically gets $83 a month from CalFresh.
That money had been cut because of the government shutdown, and a standoff over SNAP.
“I know quite a few people who are trying their best to figure it out right now,” Brunet said.
Late Friday, Brunet learned that he got his full SNAP payment.
The San Francisco Human Services Agency posted on its website: “Following lawsuits filed by California and other states, California CalFresh recipients are beginning to see the immediate restoration of their full benefits on their EBT cards.”
California was one of more than 22 other states that filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the “unlawful refusal to fund SNAP/CalFresh benefits” due to the government shutdown.
“California will continue fighting to ensure that our families can access the food they need and deserve,” read a statement from Gov. Gavin Newsom. “The court rightly shut down the Trump administration’s attempt to use the well-being of American citizens as pawns in their sick political game. As President Trump continues to create harm through self-inflicted wounds on our country, we will keep protecting Americans who are caught in the crossfire. I am pleased at the court ruling and that those food benefits are now beginning to flow back to California families.”
The reinstated SNAP payment comes after a one-time debit card payment Brunet and other San Francisco SNAP recipients just received from the city.
Brunet says he’s grateful for the extra support from San Francisco and Crankstart.
“I actually got $200, which was like ‘wow!’,” said Brunet about the emergency aid.
Brunet is one of the nearly 112,000 San Franciscans who count on SNAP benefits from the federal government.
The ABC News Data Team learned that in San Francisco, that’s almost 10% of households, with a large percentage of them living in the Bayview zip code of 94124.
“We’re no. 3 in the city, in terms of people who receive SNAP benefits,” said SF Supervisor Shamann Walton.
Walton represents Bayview. He said the SF/Crankstart benefits — a total of $18 million — are a significant boost for many residents.
“We’ve been hearing from a lot of people who have started receiving their benefits, and of course, they’re grateful. But it’s still devastating because we’re still in this position,” said Supervisor Walton.
Brunet says he’s relieved and grateful his SNAP payments have been fully reinstated for November. But he’s still concerned about what comes next. He wonders if this is a one-time payment meant to appease recipients or if he’ll be going through the uncertainty again next month.
More than 5 million people rely on SNAP benefits across California. Some organizations are calling on Newsom to backfill SNAP funding.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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