Federal Shutdown’s Impact on Food Assistance in North Carolina
As the federal government shutdown continues, over 1.3 million people in North Carolina relying on federal food assistance are facing the possibility of receiving only partial benefits on their EBT cards early next week.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is set to deplete its emergency reserve fund, as revealed in a recent court filing. The USDA plans to use the remaining $4.65 billion to provide 50% of the usual benefits for November. However, this measure leaves no reserve for new SNAP applicants or emergency food assistance.
In North Carolina, SNAP benefits support approximately 1.34 million people, including 580,000 children. North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson, along with 24 other Democratic officials, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration, demanding the use of emergency funds already appropriated by Congress to maintain SNAP benefits in November.
Federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island have ruled that the USDA should utilize its reserves. In response to the USDA’s announcement, Jackson emphasized, “The Agriculture Department has told the court it will use its entire emergency fund over the next month to make 50 percent payments to every SNAP recipient. That will zero out the emergency fund. My office is still reviewing the order to see what else we can do to help, but until this shutdown ends we all need to provide extra support to our local food pantries.”
The USDA explained that it cannot fully fund SNAP by using tariff funds designated for child nutrition programs, which were partially used last month to support the WIC women’s and children’s nutrition program. Dev Sangvai, N.C. DHHS Secretary, acknowledged the partial benefits as a temporary relief, stating, “This is good news for North Carolinians, even if we know it is not enough for the many families who continue to struggle to put food on the table. We know how important these benefits are, and we are doing everything we can to make sure people have access to them as soon as possible.”
Updating Computer Systems
USDA’s Patrick Penn cautioned that adjusting state systems to reflect the reduced benefits might take weeks to months. However, North Carolina officials are optimistic about a quicker transition. DHHS spokeswoman Summer Tonizzo indicated that they expect the partial November SNAP benefits to be added to current beneficiaries’ EBT cards by early next week.
In a related development, North Carolina food banks received nearly $18 million in aid through state grants and private donations. Governor Josh Stein announced $10 million in state grants, supplemented by $8 million from private partners, emphasizing the state’s commitment to supporting those in need.
