How United Way distributed $100 grocery cards to 1,000+ families during the SNAP pause

“Before discovering iQPay, our plan for the SNAP disruption involved printing and mailing individual checks—an approach that now feels unimaginable given the demand. iQPay enabled us to deliver essential relief with speed and efficiency that simply wouldn't have been achievable otherwise.”

Laura O'Grady

Vice President of Impact and Strategy, United Way of York County

The Challenge

On November 1, 2025, the federal government shutdown caused an immediate halt to SNAP benefit payments across Pennsylvania. In York County alone, more than 59,500 individuals qualified for SNAP—representing approximately $10.5 million in monthly benefits that suddenly stopped flowing to families who depended on them.

United Way of York County and York County Community Foundation recognized they needed to act fast. Within days, they launched a collaborative emergency response funded by $65,000 in initial grants from YCCF and the Memorial Health Fund. But distributing that funding efficiently to thousands of families presented significant logistical challenges:

• Speed: Families needed help immediately—traditional grant processes were too slow
• Scale: 15,000+ eligible residents in York County applied, with ineligible applications coming from across the state and country
• Verification: Staff needed to verify SNAP/WIC eligibility for each applicant
• Limited resources: Just 6 staff members (including 4 platform managers) to run the entire program

The Solution

UWYC chose iQpay's digital card platform to power their Emergency Food Relief Program. The system allowed them to issue $100 electronic grocery cards directly to qualified recipients via text message, redeemable at major retailers including Giant, Dollar General, and Walmart. UWYC followed the following process:

1. York County residents who received SNAP benefits applied through an online form at unitedway-york.org
2. Staff verified eligibility by reviewing proof of SNAP/WIC enrollment
3. Approved applicants received their $100 card via text message within 72 hours
4. Recipients redeemed cards at participating stores for groceries

Demand was immediate and overwhelming—approximately 1,000 people signed up within just hours of the program launch. Applications poured in not just from York County but from across Pennsylvania, demonstrating the widespread need created by the SNAP pause.

Key Insight: The Technology Was the Easy Part

The team noted that while they couldn't control the external challenges—the flood of out-of-state applications, the difficulty verifying SNAP/WIC status—the iQpay platform and the cards themselves worked exactly as needed. The technology didn't add to their burden; it reduced it.

The SNAP benefit pause created a crisis that extended far beyond United Way's program. The York County Food Bank saw record-breaking demand—nearly 1,200 households visited a single drive-thru distribution, more than double their typical numbers, with one in four being first-time visitors.

YCCF's Nourish Now: Food Relief Fund continued raising additional donations to expand the program's reach, demonstrating how digital card technology can scale alongside community fundraising efforts.

“Our biggest takeaway from this experience is how transformative the right technology can be in getting help to families faster. iQPay bridged the gap between donor intention and real-time relief. We're now looking to use it for our Lived Experience Speaker payments as well—its ease of use, outstanding support, and transparent pricing make it the obvious choice.”

Laura O'Grady

Vice President of Impact and Strategy, United Way of York County

Conclusion

The 2025 SNAP benefit pause tested York County's emergency response capabilities. By partnering with iQpay, United Way of York County was able to deploy a scalable, user-friendly solution that put grocery purchasing power directly into families' hands via their phones—no physical cards, no complicated redemption process, no delays.

For organizations considering digital card platforms for emergency relief, community assistance, or incentive programs, the UWYC experience offers a clear lesson: when the technology just works, staff can focus on what matters most—helping people.