More than 40 million Americans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program also known as SNAP to put food on their table every month. For the many families living on fixed incomes, SNAP benefits help a lot.
Generally, benefits are loaded onto EBT cards at the beginning of every month. However, the current government shutdown has coincided with some of the planned program changes. The result is confusion, delays, and a lot of anxiety for families who depend on SNAP.
What Was Already Changing
Even before the shutdown began, SNAP was going through some updates, including:
- SNAP benefits were going to increase to keep up with the rising cost of food.
- Eligibility checks to confirm who still qualifies.
- The program was undergoing technological updates to make it run more efficiently.
These changes were meant to improve the program. But with the shutdown freezing or slowing down many federal services, those updates are now stuck in limbo.
How the Shutdown Gets in the Way
The shutdown has forced many government offices to either close or work with fewer staff. For SNAP, that means:
- Delayed benefits: In certain states, benefits may take longer to arrive.
- Application backlogs: All those filing new applications may experience a delay as a result of longer wait times.
- Retailer risks: All those grocery stores in low-income areas rely on SNAP benefits to get by, if the shutdown continues for a long period, this may put a strain on the stores (in addition to families).
Even a brief delay might have disastrous consequences for families with limited resources. Meal skipping or depending on food pantries might result from missing even one assistance payment.
Who Will Feel It the Most?
The shutdown doesn’t affect everyone equally. Some groups are more vulnerable, including:
- There are many families with kids who need nutritious supply of food.
- Seniors and people with disabilities who live on fixed incomes.
- New applicants who suddenly lost income and need help right away.
The Ripple Effect on Communities
The SNAP program has sufficient funds to last a month, however if the shutdown continues for more than a month, this could be a problem. As much as families rely on SNAP benefits, grocery stores also rely on SNAP benefits to keep their businesses running. If benefits are late or uncertain, those stores see fewer sales, which hurts local economies. This will also place more pressure on food banks as more people will start relying on food banks if their SNAP benefits don’t arrive on time.
What Families Can Do Right Now
If you rely on SNAP, here are a few steps to stay prepared:
- Be sure to keep yourself updated. Check your state SNAP website to get verified updates.
- In order to maximize your benefits, consider meal planning and avoid wasting food.
- Use local food pantries if you hit a gap in benefits.
- Be sure to keep all necessary documentation available, so that when the shutdown is over, you don’t need waste time when applying for benefits.
The Bottom Line
Just like Social Security, SNAP benefits are also something that millions of Americans rely on. With the chaos of the government shutdown, SNAP benefits will sustain itself for about a month.
There are already many families living on fixed incomes and if their benefits are delayed, it can cause major financial strain. Beneficiaries are urged to follow updates regarding the shutdown and get verified information from official websites. This will ensure that they know what’s happening with their benefits and can plan ahead.
The shutdown has indeed caused frustration, but it is important to remain calm in the face of adversity.