Shutdown could pause federal food aid for 1.4M North Carolinians
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North Carolinians who rely on federal food assistance likely won't have their EBT cards reloaded again until the government shutdown ends, the state warns.
Why it matters: Around 1.4 million North Carolinians, 13% of the state's population, will be affected by the cuts, potentially overwhelming local nonprofits, churches and food pantries that provide aid.
Catch up quick: The U.S. Department of Agriculture told states last week to stop refilling Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, commonly known as food stamps, on Nov. 1, according to a letter provided by the state.
- State funding isn't replacing it. The governor's office and NCDHHS say they cannot cover the cost of SNAP without legislative appropriation.
By the numbers: Around 1.4 million North Carolinians receive SNAP benefits, including 600,000 children, according to Jonathan Kappler, the deputy secretary of external affairs at the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
- At around $175 per person, that adds up to around $230 million to $250 million in food aid every month, according to DHHS.
- Around 80% of people receiving SNAP benefits in North Carolina are working, Kappler noted.
Driving the news: North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson joined a lawsuit against the USDA on Tuesday that aims to force it to continue SNAP payments as the government shutdown drags on.
- The Trump administration has said that SNAP's contingency funds cannot be used during the shutdown, an argument the lawsuit pushes back against.
What they're saying: Jackson argues that the USDA can't override the will of Congress.
- "If Congress gives a department money to fund a program, that department cannot refuse to fund that program," he said at a press conference in Raleigh, adding they have "a $6 billion emergency fund to use in situations like this."
- Gov. Josh Stein issued a statement warning that people will go hungry, and calling the federal government's position "a cruel abdication of the responsibility to support families and communities."
The other side: "It doesn't have to be this way, and it's sad they are using the families who rely on (food assistance) as pawns," an OMB spokesperson said of Democrats.
Threat level: Amy Beros, the president and CEO of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, the state's largest food bank, told Axios that "there's a lot of fear."
- "There is no way to prepare for this," she continued. "For every one meal a food bank provides, SNAP provides nine. There is no way for us to fill this gap."
- She says the food bank got permission from its board to spend an extra $1 million during the shutdown to purchase food, but urged "those that have the ability to provide support at this time."
Between the lines: The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina on Tuesday joined a coalition of other food banks statewide, including Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, urging lawmakers to end the shutdown.
State of play: Republicans and Democrats have traded blame for the shutdown, which began Oct. 1.
- A recent Quinnipiac University poll shows 45% of registered voters blame Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress, while 39% blame Democrats and 11% think both parties are responsible.
What's next: North Carolinians who need food should call 2-1-1 to learn about emergency resources or check the state's food pantry map.