Ahead of two federal judges’ separate rulings on Friday that the Trump administration must use a $6 billion emergency fund to fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, as it is set to pause on Saturday due to the federal government shutdown, North Carolina and others are donating nearly $18 million to food banks across the state.
Gov. Josh Stein announced on Thursday that the state will grant $10 million.
Other donations include $5 million from AmeriHealth Caritas and $2.5 million from the David & Nicole Tepper Foundation, which is expediting a previously announced $10 million gift to food banks in North Carolina and South Carolina.
More than 1.4 million North Carolinians rely on SNAP benefits, including more than 580,000 children, working families, older adults, veterans, and people with disabilities. More than 80% who receive benefits are working.
SNAP provides between $230 and $250 million in food benefits to over 600,000 households in the state.
“With the help of generous partners, North Carolina is taking action to keep families fed,” said Stein, a Democrat, in a press release. “Shoring up our state’s food banks will serve as a critical, but fleeting, lifeline for families in need, and I hope other North Carolina organizations will also step up in this time of need. Whether it’s paying our military, ensuring no child goes hungry, or lowering health care costs, leaders in Washington need to come together immediately to find a bipartisan solution that provides long-term stability for millions of Americans.”
“Our hunger relief network is working tirelessly to meet the increased need, with hundreds of partner pantries and thousands of volunteers stepping up to help,” President & CEO of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC Amy Beros said in the release. “But we know emergency food programs can’t replace the impact of federal nutrition assistance. SNAP remains the most effective tool in fighting hunger and poverty nationwide. We need swift action to ensure this critical support continues uninterrupted for those who need it most. Every day of delay means more empty plates and tougher choices for our neighbors.”
Other donations include:
- Duke Energy Foundation: $100,000
- Bank of America: $100,000
- Delaware North and Catawba Two Kings Casino: $50,000
- Nucor Steel: $50,000
- UNC Health Foundation & UNC Horizons: $30,000
- The Fresh Market: $25,000
- Eastern Ministerial Alliance: $20,000
- Smithfield Foods: $20,000
- AdventHealth: $19,000
- Compare Foods: $10,000
- Lending Tree: $7,500
- Smart Food Foundation: 10,000 pounds of food
SNAP beneficiaries are advised to continue applying for and renewing their SNAP benefits. County DSS offices are open and processing applications to prevent backlogs. Any funds already on EBT cards are still available for use. People can also call 211 for assistance in finding resources for food.
North Carolina was among 24 states and the District of Columbia that filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the USDA, stating that the pause in benefits is illegal.
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson said the USDA wasn’t telling the truth when they said there isn’t any money left, pointing to the $6 billion emergency fund that Congress established for the agency for emergency use.
Jackson said the USDA reversed course last week, from a Sept. 30 statement when they said they planned to tap the emergency fund.
In addition to the lawsuit, he said that they have also requested a temporary restraining order, which appears to be what the federal judges have used in their rulings on Friday.
Jackson issued a statement Friday, noting that judges’ rulings were “Great news.”
“In the lawsuit we filed, a federal court just ruled that the Agriculture Department acted unlawfully by refusing to use its emergency fund to make SNAP payments,” he said. It has until Monday to deliver a plan to pay benefits. We’re not finished, but this is a major step toward making sure 16 million kids don’t go hungry.”
The post NC food banks get $18M boost as SNAP payments set to pause appeared first on Carolina Journal.