SNAP food assistance was set to lapse in November because of the government shutdown. But on Friday, a judge ordered that contingency funds be used to maintain the benefits.

Nearly 42 million people are facing a November with no SNAP benefits to help with the cost of food. It's driving them to ask for help, stock up and weigh not paying other bills so their families can eat.

“If a shutdown extends beyond mid-October, USDA could technically tap its contingency reserve funding to cover SNAP costs. Under the prior administration, this reserve stood at $6 billion, but it is unclear how much remains available or whether the current administration would choose to use it,” the center wrote.

The U.S. government pays out $100 billion a year in food assistance to 42 million Americans through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—funds that were set to lapse and may still be delayed or suspended because of the government shutdown.

The ongoing budget deadlock in the United States is threatening food security of around 42 million Americans who receive food stamps at the start of each month to help get

Two judges ruled the government must use its emergency contingency funds to pay for SNAP benefits for as long as it can.