Federal shutdown threatens food assistance for 1.4 million North Carolinians

CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) —  The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services says November food assistance for 1.4 million North Carolinians could be delayed if the federal government shutdown continues.

On October 10, the U.S. Department of Agriculture directed NCDHHS to hold off on issuing November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. While October benefits are unaffected, state officials say they have not received the federal funding needed to distribute next month’s payments.

Adding to the uncertainty, the USDA told states on October 24 it would not use roughly $6 billion in contingency funds to keep SNAP running for November and would not reimburse states that tried to cover the costs themselves. North Carolina says it typically issues $230 million to $250 million in SNAP benefits each month.

Governor Josh Stein released the following statement on Monday:

“I am urging the USDA to take immediate action to prevent more than 1.4 million North Carolinians – including children, people with disabilities, veterans, and working families – from going hungry,” said Governor Stein. “Specifically, USDA can deploy federal contingency funds and prevent a disruption of SNAP benefits on November 1. The administration’s refusal to use these available funds as temperatures cool and the Thanksgiving holiday approaches is a cruel abdication of the responsibility to support families and communities.”

Stein also urged Congress to end the shutdown, saying lawmakers should “return to the negotiating table and come together to reopen the government.”

The state agency says it will continue processing applications so benefits can be issued once funding resumes.

The potential impact stretches beyond SNAP. NCDHHS warned that more than 262,000 residents who depend on the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program may lose benefits in early November without additional federal support.

The shutdown, which began October 1 after Congress failed to pass a new budget, has already led to furloughs for over a million federal workers and interruptions to many federal programs.

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