SNAP benefits could run out, drive more people to NC food banks as government shutdown enters 4th week

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — While the federal government shutdown stretches into its fourth week, local food banks are bracing for impact as hundreds of thousands of North Carolina families could see their food assistance benefits evaporate.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services warns that nearly 1.4 million residents who rely on SNAP benefits could see their food assistance run out by November 1 if the shutdown continues.

“With the government shutdown and the recent cuts, we’re seeing an impact every day with more people needing our services, as well as fewer dollars that we have to be able to provide the food that so many people need now,” said Kimberly Burrows, chief development officer at Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, a Raleigh-based nonprofit working to end hunger and build food security across Wake, Durham, Johnston, Orange, Nash, Chatham, and Edgecombe counties.

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle staff say demand already tripled between August and September due to federal spending cuts kicking thousands of people off food assistance programs.

“Between our seven-county service area, the uptick has gone from 100 to 300 in some locations,” said Elizabeth Rodgers with Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. “And with the shutdown, it’s inevitable that need will increase.”

Food banks are also struggling with fewer donations from their retail partners.

“Because of the tariffs, grocery stores don’t have as much margin,” said Burrows. “So, what we’re picking up from stores is less overall. There’s less food to go around, but more need.”

Democratic Congresswoman Deborah Ross blames the Republican-led Congress and the president for allowing the shutdown to drag on.

“This is a complete abdication of responsibility from our Republican Congress and our president,” Ross said. “It’s cruelty. It’s hitting people in the place that is makes them feel the least secure, the ability to get the nutrition that they need at the times that they needed. And again, it affects every generation from Women, Infants and Children to school lunch programs to our seniors and Meals on Wheels.”

Ross also pointed to previous cuts in food assistance, noting that the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” reduced funding by 20%.

“Our state government hasn’t passed a budget or taken up its responsibility for any kind of state match,” Ross added. “That’s pushing it down further to counties, locals, and nonprofits.”

Republican Congressman Brad Knott pushed back, saying Democrats bear the brunt of the shutdown in a statement sent to CBS 17:

“These comments are hollow distractions from the simple facts at hand, which show the Democratic party is solely responsible for this shutdown. Republicans have voted more than a dozen times on a clean, no-strings-attached Continuing Resolution (C.R.) that maintains Biden-era spending levels to keep the government open. Behind the President and the Speaker of the House, this clean C.R. was agreed to in good faith.

Good faith aside, the Democrats have forced the government to shut down by voting against the clean C.R. more than a dozen times. As a counteroffer to the clean C.R., the Democrats stated they will not agree to re-open the Government unless their historically radical demands – totaling more than $1.5 trillion in new spending – are met. Just today, the Democratic Whip in the House of Representatives bluntly stated that families who are suffering because of this shutdown are a point of “leverage” politically for the Democrats.

The simplest, most effective way to ensure North Carolinians are able to utilize important programs like SNAP benefits, Veterans Services, assistance for the elderly, and many others, is to pass the Republicans’ C.R. and reopen the government and get back to work within the normal course of business.”

Congressman Rich Hudson also sent CBS 17 a statement blaming Democrats for putting families at risk of losing SNAP benefits:

“If Democrats were genuinely focused on helping families, they should have voted to keep the government open on September 19th. Republicans offered the same clean funding bill Democrats voted for 13 times over the last four years.

Democrat Whip Katherine Clark explained why saying ‘families will suffer,’ but they see it as ‘leverage.’

By forcing the government to shutdown, Democrats are putting our military, SNAP and WIC, veterans and thousands of federal workers and WIC families at risk.  All to appease their radical base. It’s time to put people first and reopen the government.”