The U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to withhold Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments starting Saturday. However, two federal judges ordered the administration on Friday to proceed with the payments. It remains unclear when beneficiaries' debit cards will be reloaded, causing fear and confusion.
In North Carolina, approximately 1.4 million people depend on SNAP benefits to feed themselves and their families. Many use farmers markets to purchase fresh food while supporting local farmers.
Judy Montague, a 20-year vendor at the Raleigh Farmers Market, expressed her concern.
"I think it's sad because we need to have something available for these people to use, and they've been using it for a long time," she told ABC11 Eyewitness News. "It's going to be hard on them."
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After Friday's ruling, President Trump stated that his administration's lawyers are uncertain about their legal authority to fund SNAP during the shutdown and has asked for clarity from the courts.
ABC11 Eyewitness News also spoke with Malik Williams of Knightdale, who was heartbroken by the pause in benefits.
"I know a lot of people, mothers, single mothers, people with disabilities, they depend on that," he said. "I came up on EBT, you know, so I know how it feels."
Williams and his friend Haneef Abdullah used nearly $1,000 of their own money to take three families grocery shopping. They livestreamed the raffle on social media and met the families at the Food Lion on Rogers Lane over the weekend, paying for their food and household items. Williams described the response as priceless.
"Everybody was happy. I was happy. They were feeling good," Williams said. He hopes to continue supporting families in need during the holidays and inspire others to do the same.
In response to Trump's comments, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell in Rhode Island ordered the government to report by Monday on how it plans to fund SNAP accounts. He said the Trump administration must either make a full payment by that day or, if it decides to tap $3 billion in a contingency fund, figure out how to do that by Wednesday.
The Associated Press is contributed to this report.