PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Thousands of Oregonians have lost Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits over the past year, and advocates say more people could be affected as the state resumes a pandemic-paused eligibility requirement.

Since July 2025, the Oregon Food Bank says 40,000 Oregonians have lost SNAP benefits. The spokesperson for the organization tells KATU they expect that number to increase following the return of mandatory renewal interviews, which resumed on June 1.

“All SNAP households will be required to complete an interview when they apply for or renew benefits,” said Nate Singer, director of the Oregon Eligibility Partnership with the Oregon Department of Human Services.

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Singer said the interviews are not new but were temporarily suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. “During the pandemic, some households were allowed temporarily to renew benefits without an interview,” Singer explained.

A spokesperson for the Oregon Food Bank said an estimated 187,000 Oregon residents could be affected by the renewal interview requirement. The organization did not clarify whether that figure reflects people who may lose benefits entirely or experience reduced assistance.

The Oregon Department of Human Services said some households no longer meet the income requirements to qualify for SNAP benefits. Others have failed to provide the documentation needed to complete the renewal process.