On Saturday, some 42 million low-income Americans, including 16 million children, lost access to benefits through the SNAP program as the government shutdown continues.
Beginning Saturday, some 42 million low-income Americans, including 16 million children, lost access to benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as the government shutdown continues.
The Department of Agriculture has said that funding for this month’s benefits, which it says comes to about $9.5 billion, has run dry.
The Trump administration has said that it will not provide a funding lifeline to SNAP, as it has to fund military and other government salaries and benefits affected by the shutdown, and has joined Republicans, who control both chambers in Congress, in blaming Democrats for the situation.
SNAP has traditionally been entirely federally funded, but is administered by states. That means the shutdown’s impact on SNAP and when benefits will start to become unavailable will vary by state.
Some states have initiated their own contingency plans, using their own funding in most cases, to keep their SNAPs running.
Here is a list of what states have announced so farArizona
On Oct. 29, Arizona Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs announced the state would be deploying $1.8 million in funds to offset the loss of SNAP.
Of that money, 1.5 million, she said, «will be allocated to food banks across the state to fill gaps for SNAP households seeking food», while the remainder will be used by Food Bucks Now, an emergency fresh food program that provides vouchers for vegetables and produce.California
The state allocated $80 million to food banks across the state, according to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.Colorado
Democratic Gov. Jared Polis sent a request last week to the state legislature to approve «$10 million in General Fund revenue to support food banks and pantries, and another to extend previously approved funding for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition access through November.»Connecticut
Three million dollars in emergency funding was given to Connecticut Foodshare, a non profit that helps food banks in the state, Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont said on Oct. 27.Delaware
Democratic Gov. Matt Meyer declared a state of emergency on Oct.
