Federal Shutdown Jeopardizes SNAP Benefits for 188,000 Kansans

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Jessica Herrera Russell

TOPEKA, KAN. - Around 188,000 Kansans, including nearly 85,000 kids, enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are at risk of losing grocery dollars starting November 1 if the federal government shutdown does not end. The Kansas Department for Children and Families noted that if the shutdown continues past October 28, the agency will not have the necessary funds to disburse to SNAP recipients by the first of the month.  

Of the 188,000 Kansans who rely on SNAP, around 65% are in families with children.  

If SNAP benefit lapses continue into mid-November, the situation will become particularly acute, with food pantries needing to increasingly fill the gaps. But since food banks provide just one meal for every nine covered by SNAP benefits, it’s unlikely nonprofit organizations will be able to backfill that loss. 

“The country is on the verge of a completely preventable hunger crisis,” said John Wilson, President and CEO of Kansas Action for Children. “Lapsing funding for food assistance will have effects long after Congress ends the shutdown. We’ll see families struggling to get back on their feet even after their benefits are available again, as well as children’s health and educational achievement suffering.” 

This crisis could extend well beyond food insecurity. While SNAP benefits can only be used on groceries, those dollars are an integral part of a family’s budget. Not eating for a month isn’t an option, and funds for food will need to be pulled from elsewhere in their budget. Without the enhanced premium tax credits to bring down health insurance premium costs, families will be required to decide which parts of their budget are optional and choose not to pay bills like car payments, electric bills, medicine, or rent. 

Wilson continued, “Any negotiation to end the shutdown that doesn’t include the extension of the insurance premium tax credits is likely to have devastating health and economic consequences for many Kansans. Congress must move toward a resolution that lets families access food and affordable health care. Anything less is unacceptable.” 

There are other options to extend SNAP benefits even if the shutdown continues. First, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has the option to use a $6 billion contingency fund to go toward November benefits; it takes about $8 billion to fully fund SNAP benefits each month.  

Second, Congress could quickly pass new bills proposed by Senator Hawley (Missouri) and Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa) that would solely fund SNAP while the shutdown continues.  

Until the federal shutdown is resolved, hungry Kansans should locate their nearest food pantry and plan ahead for distribution dates and times. Kansas Food Bank covers most counties in the state, with the exception of the northeast quadrant. Harvesters serves most of northeast Kansas and 10 counties on the Missouri side, and Second Harvest covers Brown, Doniphan, and Atchison counties. 

Kansans wishing to help should consider donating directly to their local food bank to help those organizations fulfill greater community need.