With a resolution to the government shutdown seemingly not coming any time soon, the state is planning on providing support to the more than 75,000 state residents who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, in the likely event November benefits are impacted.
The Department of Health and Human Services announced its plans Thursday to partner with the New Hampshire Food Bank to make up for the delayed federal funds. The plan would support mobile food pantries specifically for SNAP participants, and traditional food pantries will receive additional food for SNAP enrollees.
“Politicians in Washington must get their act together and reopen the federal government so critical programs like SNAP and WIC can continue without disruption,” Gov. Kelly Ayotte said in a press release.
Since the government shutdown started earlier this month, advocates have been raising alarm bells over the potential loss of the federal benefits, if the shutdown continued into November. Benefits are distributed at the start of each month, so October benefits had already been distributed when the shutdown began.
But advocates stress that this plan is not a replacement for SNAP.
“It's wonderful that the food bank and the state can find a way to provide some help for people, but mobile food pantries are really a far cry from the kind of food benefits and food choices that SNAP recipients normally have,” said Laura Milliken, who leads the nonprofit NH Hunger Solutions.
SNAP participants pay for their groceries with an EBT card, which functions similarly to a debit card. They can buy whatever groceries they like at a variety of retailers across the state and that money goes directly to those businesses.
The food pantry system provides fewer choices and is designed to help people in emergency situations, not as a long-term solution to food insecurity, experts say.
The New Hampshire Food Bank says even with additional state dollars, meeting demand will be challenging.
“A combination of factors, including federal cuts, tariffs, and the upcoming changes to the SNAP program have put pressure on our operations this year,” said Elsy Cipriani, executive director of the food bank, in an email to NHPR. “We are actively preparing to meet this increased need. In fact, we've already seen an 11% rise in the demand for food from our partner agencies this year.”
The state health department said it is unclear if EBT cards will work amid the shutdown in November and encouraged people to use their remaining benefits, which typically rollover each month, by Oct. 31.
Milken underscored that even with the pause, any delayed benefits will eventually be distributed once the shutdown ends.
Nov. 1 is also the day the state is required to start implementing cuts made to SNAP under the federal reconciliation bill, like removing certain legal immigrants from the program, expanding work requirements and changing how benefits are calculated.
Earlier this week, the state secured federal dollars to fund the Women, Infants and Children Nutrition program or WIC, which serves low-income pregnant women and young children, until at least Nov. 7.
The health department says local WIC offices will have to close amid the shutdown, but participants will still be able to use their benefits.
Certain food assistance programs like the National School Breakfast and National School Lunch programs are not impacted.
More information on SNAP and WIC can be found on DHHS’s website.
