260K households in South Carolina may lose SNAP benefits next month if shutdown continues

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) — Food assistance for hundreds of thousands of South Carolinians could be at risk if the federal government shutdown stretches into next month, state officials are warning.

The South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS) issued a notice on Wednesday that more than 260,000 households that rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) benefits may lose them if the shutdown stretches past October 31.

SNAP is a major piece of the nation’s social safety net, touching nearly 1 in 8 people in the country each month. They receive benefits on prepaid cards that they can use for groceries.

More than half a million people are enrolled in South Carolina’s SNAP program, including nearly 270,000 children, according to the latest available data from SCDSS. Richland County has the highest number of recipients, followed by Greenville and Spartanburg counties.

“You know, SNAP benefits not only ensure that individuals who need them can purchase food, they really create an economic multiplier,” said Brenda Shaw, the chief development officer for Lowcountry Food Bank. “For every dollar of SNAP used at the grocery store, it creates about $1.50 in the local economy. So it’s not just about one person, it’s about helping grocery stores stay in business, helping farmers at local markets.”

Since the shutdown began, the program has been using reserve funding to stay afloat as per the USDA’s contingency plan. However, in an Oct. 10 letter, the agency warned that without further appropriations, it would not have enough money to fund benefits fully come November.

SCDSS officials said they were instructed that same day to hold their November issuance files, the data that states send to Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) vendors to have benefits loaded onto a SNAP recipient’s card.

“Until there is a resolution in Washington, D.C. and the federal government is funded and reopens, SCDSS will not be able to provide the federally funded benefits to new and on-going SNAP households until further notice,” the department warned.

A prolonged shutdown could also delay the approval of new applications, card issuances, and benefit recertification, according to officials.

To prepare for the possibility of lapsed benefits, the agency is urging SNAP households in South Carolina to seek other means of grocery assistance, including visiting community food banks and pantries.

SNAP users are also encouraged to take steps to protect their existing benefits by locking EBT cards when not in use, changing PINs, and turning off out-of-state purchase capabilities.

Officials said further information regarding future monthly or partial disbursements will be shared if and when the shutdown ends and the USDA issues additional guidance.

Local groups step in

With more families expected to need assistance in the coming months, local organizations are preparing to step in to ensure people can put food on the table.

But, officials said the potential pause in SNAP benefits, coupled with low donations and overall food scarcity, could make it more difficult for them to serve families heading into the holiday season.

“I’m very concerned that families who we are already helping and who get SNAP benefits will now have nothing,” said Stephanie Kelley, the executive director of East Cooper Community Outreach. “We won’t just be supplementing their SNAP benefits anymore; we’ll be their only source of food.

“And there are a lot of families in this area who don’t come to ECCO for help but rely on those benefits — and now they’ll have nowhere to go, which will put more pressure on our food pantry when our shelves are already looking as bare as they do right now,” she continued.

People can help support local food banks and pantries by donating non-perishable items or making a monetary donation.

The Associated Press contributed.