SC warns 260,000 households to lose food benefits if government shutdown persists

South Carolina residents will not receive federal food benefits in November if the government shutdown continues, the state Department of Social Services warned Wednesday.

The federal government pays for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. If the federal government shutdown continues into November, about 1 in 10 South Carolinians will go without their expected money for food.

“It is going to be a health crisis because people are not going to have money to buy food,” said Erinn Rowe, chief executive officer of Harvest Hope. Harvest Hope is the state’s largest food bank.

The shutdown could leave about 568,000 South Carolinians short on cash for food in November, according to USDA data from May. Over 260,000 households in South Carolina rely on food benefits, according to the news release from the Department of Social Services.

The USDA told the state Department of Social Services to not disburse November SNAP benefits indefinitely on Oct. 10, according to the news release.

The federal government shutdown began at the beginning of the month after Congress failed to strike a deal on a budget for the next fiscal year, which began Oct. 1. South Carolina residents will get SNAP money again after a new plan to fund the government passes.

The state Department of Social Services recommended SNAP beneficiaries to “budget carefully” remaining funds and look to food banks for assistance.

While Harvest Hope is seeking additional donations and preparing for more people needing food assistance, it won’t be possible to completely fill in for SNAP, Rowe said.

“We can’t put a drop in the bucket to make up for the amount of people that are on SNAP and WIC right now,” Rowe said. “It’s not physically possible.”

Families and individuals that rely on SNAP to balance their budgets could face greater hurdles in the holiday season. With kids having time off school, higher electricity bills, flu and cold season and the holidays around the corner, the SNAP cuts could add to financial pressures, Rowe said.

The federally funded Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, may also see shortfalls this shutdown. While the USDA injected $300 million to continue the program through the end of the month, its future is also unclear, the National WIC Association said Tuesday.