Methuen, Massachusetts is bracing for an expected increase in the need for food assistance at the end of the week.

A citywide food drive is underway in Methuen to help feed residents who won’t be getting their SNAP benefits for the month of November.

More than 1 million people across Massachusetts rely on SNAP assistance, a program formerly known as food stamps. Our map shows which communities have the highest percentage of SNAP clients.

TVAs the federal government shutdown drags on, millions of Americans who receive SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits are caught in the middle. Money for the program is expected to lapse in just days,

Republican Sen. David McCormick defended Donald Trump’s latest controversial moves in a rare interview, including the president’s $230 million request for the Justice Department to pay his legal bills, the demolition of the White House’s East Wing, and his party’s handling of the government shutdown.

"The federal government provides about $240 million a month in SNAP benefits to Massachusetts residents," Healey said. "There's no way that the state can make up for that."

The ongoing U.S. government shutdown is raising concerns about the future of food assistance programs as President Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ introduces significant funding

Governor Maura Healey warns that over 1 million Massachusetts residents may lose food stamp benefits if the US government shutdown continues past November 1, 2025. Federal funding for SNAP is insufficient,