Over the last several weeks, there has been a lot of discussion about Jimmy Kimmel Live!, with much of the discussion revolving around whether the talk show should exist at all. For example, Kimmel revealed that he used to pray his talk show would get canceled, and he argued that ABC never should have hired him to headline their late-night lineup. Of course, Kimmel also was suspended briefly, some of his show's syndicators briefly refused to air it, and many people were outraged that he returned to television.
While Kimmel has been wrapped up in controversy for years, it has become clear that the team behind Jimmy Kimmel Live! has been working to do something that is pretty undeniably wonderful. As some Americans are worried about whether they will be able to attain food in the coming days, the team behind the talk show is trying to help people affected by SNAP benefits losing funding.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is running a food donation center amid the government shutdown
On Oct. 1, 2025, The U.S. Government ceased operating because there hadn't been 60 Senators who would vote to pass a funding bill after the House of Representatives previously did. While the Republicans and Democrats have spent a lot of time pointing fingers at each other, a CBS News article details the fact that the government is now in the longest shutdown in U.S. history. As the shutdown has progressed, many people have been profoundly negatively affected, and now there is a lot of worry that things could soon get a lot worse.
The SNAP benefits program, which more than 42 million Americans use for help obtaining food, lost funding during the shutdown. As a result, the typical November payments that enrollees receive were put in question. According to a November 2025 NPR article, SNAP benefits funding has resumed following a court ruling and the White House's release of contingency funding. However, the funding that will be sent to Americans is reportedly set to be cut in half and delayed. As this tragic situation continues, the team behind Jimmy Kimmel Live! is attempting to help provide food to some of the affected people.
On Nov. 4, 2025, the Instagram accounts for Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and the St. Joseph Center announced "The Jimmy Kimmel Live Big, Beautiful Food Bank." To be more specific, the post stated that a food donation center was being set up in the backlot behind the studio where Jimmy Kimmel Live! is filmed. Finally, the post detailed the food products that the effort was seeking from the public.