The Dare County Department of Health & Human Services has shared an update from North Carolina DHHS on what, and how, federal and state food and nutrition benefits are being affected by the ongoing shutdown of the federal government.
That includes what will be available, and what will likely not, if lawmakers do not reach an agreement on a spending package ahead of this Saturday.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has directed NCDHHS to pause all November SNAP benefits until further notice. Unless this suspension is lifted soon, November benefits will not be issued.
According to the most recent figures available from April, the suspension will impact 2,364 recipients in Dare (around 6% of the county’s population), 2,152 in Currituck (7%), and 752 (16%) in Hyde counties.
Overall in North Carolina, around 1.4 million North Carolinians including about 600,000 children, will see benefits suspended.
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
North Carolina (NC) WIC is operational and remains open for business. Participants in the WIC program will continue receiving benefits through October. NC WIC anticipates that benefit redemption can continue into November with current funding. If any changes to WIC operations are required due to the ongoing government shutdown, additional information will be sent out.
NCDHHS is actively exploring all available options to sustain benefits should federal funding remain unavailable.
Community Support and Resources
Dare County DHHS recognizes how vital these benefits are for families across our community. We remain committed to keeping residents informed as updates become available from NCDHHS.
Additionally, Dare County DHHS is working closely with local nonprofit agencies that may be able to assist families affected by the shutdown. Residents experiencing financial hardship are encouraged to reach out to these community resources to learn more about available support.
For the latest information, please visit the NCDHHS website: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/about/federal-government-shutdown
The post What food and nutrition benefits will pause, and what will continue in November? appeared first on Island Free Press.
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