County workers say stopping SNAP could hurt families

Officials in Minnesota Announced this week Residents receiving food assistance will not receive their benefits for November, as long as the federal government shutdown continues.

County service workers say they are now hearing from concerned enrollees in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

At a news conference Thursday, Hennepin County provider Eunuwen Brown said she’s concerned about the families she works with.

“If this continues, parents will not be able to afford formula or fresh food for their babies, and seniors will have to choose between groceries and medications,” Brown said. “These are not numbers on our spreadsheets. These are our neighbors, our residents, our community members.”

October’s benefits were disbursed as scheduled, according to the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families, but November’s benefits will not be available “until the shutdown ends or the federal government issues further guidance.” Typically, recipients get access to the funds sometime during the first two weeks of the month.

The Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is funded through mid-November, the Minnesota Department of Health said in an update Wednesday. The Minnesota Family Investment Program will issue cash assistance benefits for November, but not food assistance.

SNAP recipients are already raising questions, said Kenneth Winslow Garnier, a Hennepin County Health and Human Services worker.

“We deal with a lot of people, so people also can’t call us on the phone lines to talk to us,” Garnier said. “We have chat lines, and we try to answer voicemails. There are a lot of people inquiring.”

Workers said they are giving people information about food banks and other ways to find free or low-cost meals. Some of these service providers They say they are working on limited budgets And also lack of resources.

Winslow and other county workers called on federal lawmakers to reach a budget deal and get benefits back on track.

“We’re just asking that everyone come together and negotiate a bill that works for everyday people,” Winslow said.