November payments have been significantly delayed, forcing families to go hungry. A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to distribute benefits in full by Friday.

Haley is one of more than 40 million people across the country who count on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a federal benefit that dates back to the late 1930s. But disruptions to SNAP, also known as food stamps, during what has become the longest government shutdown in American history have left recipients facing imminent hunger, unable to restock their pantries or refrigerators.

Although the Trump administration said partial funds would be distributed this month — a response to a lawsuit challenging its plan to suspend SNAP payments during the shutdown — recipients who were due to receive their benefits this week have empty balances.

On Thursday, the federal judge in that lawsuit ordered the Trump administration to distribute SNAP funding in full to states by Friday, though it remains to be seen whether recipients’ electronic benefits cards will be refilled that quickly. Previously, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins had said it could take several weeks to deliver the benefits.