Home Economy Providence allocates $25K to food bank, activates Emergency Food Plan

Providence allocates $25K to food bank, activates Emergency Food Plan

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PBN Staff

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10/30/2025

MS-1125SmileyQA-66 — PROVIDENCE MAYOR Brett P. Smiley on Thursday activated the city’s Emergency Food Plan, which outlines immediate and short-term operational actions, to help stabilize local food access. / PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

PROVIDENCE – The city on Thursday allocated $25,000 to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank the same day that a federal judge in Boston challenged the Trump administration’s argument that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits could be suspended for the first time in the program’s history because of the government shutdown. Brett P. Smiley activated

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PROVIDENCE – The city on Thursday allocated $25,000 to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank the same day that a federal judge in Boston challenged the Trump administration's argument that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits could be suspended for the first time in the program's history because of the government shutdown. Brett P. Smiley activated Providence’s Emergency Food Plan which outlines immediate and short-term operational actions, to help stabilize local food access. Additionally, the city also joined a lawsuit with over 26 other municipalities, non-profits and unions in federal court in Rhode Island against the U.S. Department of Agriculture for declaratory and injunctive relief. “The federal inaction right now is leading to a serious threat to families and children in our community. These are families and seniors who are often on a fixed income with limited resources to fill this financial gap. A purely political action is going to have real consequences in the kitchens across Providence, and it could have devastating impacts,” Smiley said. “Rhode Islanders should not have to choose being paying their rent and purchasing food. We know that as a community, we can prioritize providing the resources for both and it is unconscionable that the federal government is unnecessarily putting vulnerable people into more these unimaginable circumstances.” On Thursday, during a hearing in Boston over a request by 25 Democratic-led states to keep the funding flowing, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani told lawyers that if the government can't afford to cover the program, there's a process to follow rather than simply suspending all benefits. “The steps involve finding an equitable way of reducing benefits," said Talwani, who was nominated to the court by former President Barack Obama. “If you don't have money, you tighten your belt,” she said in court. “You are not going to make everyone drop dead because it’s a political game someplace.” On Oct. 28, Gov. Daniel J. McKee declared a state of emergency with 20,000 Rhode Island families set to lose SNAP benefits on Nov. 1. McKee said $6 million from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program will fund food assistance for 20,000 families and dependents. About 25% of what families normally receive on their EBT cards will be loaded on Nov. 1, with another 25% ready for Nov. 16 if needed. McKee’s declaration came days after the U.S. Department of Agriculture posted a notice on its website on Oct. 26 that said federal food aid will not go out on Nov. 1 due to the current government shut down. The Trump administration said it would not tap roughly $5 billion in contingency funds to keep SNAP benefits flowing into November. That program helps about 1 in 8 Americans buy groceries. Attorney General Peter F. Neronha on Tuesday joined a coalition of 22 other attorneys general and three governors in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its secretary, Brooke Rollins, for suspending the SNAP program. Also on Tuesday, McKee announced the Rhode Island Community Food Bank will receive $200,000 in Social Services Block Grant funding. The Rhode Island Foundation is earmarking $1 million in emergency grants, including a matching $200,000 to the food bank, McKee said. The remaining $800,000 will be distributed to nonprofits directly by the foundation through its Community Partner Resilience Fund. The Rhode Island AFL-CIO also donated $10,000 and assistance with food distribution, McKee said. The public can also donate to the effort at: rifoundation.org/food. (Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.)