PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — The ongoing government shutdown may soon have a direct impact on 42 million people, including 2.8 million Floridians, receiving benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Starting Nov. 1, SNAP recipients may experience delays in receiving money to purchase groceries due to federal funds running out at the end of October.
The ongoing government shutdown may soon have a direct impact on 42 million people, including 2.8 million Floridians, receiving benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Posted on the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) website:
“SNAP benefits for the month of November will not be issued until federal funding is restored. You may receive notices about your eligible benefit amount, but you will not receive any benefits deposited to your EBT card during this time,” according to an “Important Message for Florida SNAP recipients.”
Serving Pinellas and Pasco counties, the Access Center and Healing Tampa Bay helps hundreds of Tampa Bay area residents every month with SNAP recertifications and initial enrollments, along with Medicaid, cell phones and many other federal benefits.
“For the next several days, tens of thousands of members of our community are really waiting to see what happens; if they’re going to have any food, or how they’re going to fill in that gap, and that creates unbelievable levels of anxiety, stress, fear,” said Healing Tampa Bay president and founder Chris Kito.
“Last year alone, we injected about $12 million in SNAP benefits in Pinellas County, and that’s your lifeline,” Kito continued
“The average SNAP benefit we’re doing is around $150 to $200 per individual and they’re on incomes that are sometimes less than $1,000. So, this is a main source of someone sustaining themselves, functioning and giving hope. We have countless people that come in and we’re very blessed to be able to help out” …
