Governor Janet Mills says Maine will release full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
The announcement Friday comes after the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it would make contingency funds available for SNAP during the government shutdown to comply with a federal court order.
The USDA had previously claimed it could not legally release contingency funds during the shutdown.
Governor Mills called withholding the money "a wrong and callous decision that should not have needed a court order to reverse."
Starting Monday, Maine's Department of Health and Human Services will release full November benefits to SNAP recipients.
Roughly 170,000 Mainers rely on SNAP. Most households include at least one working adult, and the average monthly benefit for a family of four is about $570.
