JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It’s day 34 of the federal government shutdown, and SNAP recipients received some good news as the Trump administration will use contingency funds to pay partial SNAP benefits. That’s after two judges ordered the administration to continue funding the food assistance program.
“Because of the shutdown, the food bank are like our life support right now,” Victoria Mauney, SNAP recipient, said.
Victoria Mauney said she didn’t expect to be coming to a food pantry this year, but the government shutdown has stalled her SNAP food assistance benefits, which she gets on the first of every month. She said not having SNAP is financially straining.
“I have my rent and phone and that to pay for,” Mauney said.
Mauney is one of 42 million beneficiaries nationwide struggling with the pause in SNAP benefits.
Monday the Trump administration said it will use roughly 5 billion dollars from the Agriculture Department Contingency fund to restart SNAP. But it will pay out only half the amount recipients normally get, and they will be delayed.
Feeding Northeast Florida said they are still expecting more families to come in for help, as the decreased benefits won’t be enough for many families.
The food bank said it remains in the same position as last week, running low on food to help distribute to 400 locations that they help. But say they are grateful for all the help in donations. But says as long as we are in the government shutdown, there won’t be much change.
“This is short-term help, we’re being told there is no additional funding behind it, so we just eliminated the emergency fund,” Susan King, president and CEO of Feeding Northeast Florida, said.
Many food banks and pantries have been running low for weeks now.
Like Lutheran Social Services, which saw nearly empty shelves last week, but, thanks to generous donations, it’s been able to help more people out.
“Make your appointment, come see us, we do have the food to help. We are back up to, for now, our normal levels of 40 pounds per family,” Ronnie Wilsons, Food Pantry Manager at Lutheran Social Service, said.
Lutheran Social Services said they have quadrupled the amount of food they had last week to this week, but says the food will dwindle during the week as they are still asking for donations.
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