A federal judge told the Trump administration Friday to continue funding for food stamps during the government shutdown, a legal victory for local officials and nonprofits that sought to spare roughly 42 million Americans from losing the benefits in a matter of days.

But it is unclear if or when food stamps will soon reach those who rely on them to purchase groceries. Here’s what we know about the status of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

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What are SNAP benefits?

The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is how the federal government helps people buy food if they cannot afford it. About 42 million Americans, living in 22 million households, use SNAP — representing roughly 1 in 8 people in the United States. The benefits average

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