‘We’re Just Trying to Get By:’ Families Hit Hard by SNAP Delays

A federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration to deliver SNAP payments in full to all of the states by Friday, November 7. After two weeks of confusion (and honestly panic) among families who rely on these benefits to feed their families, many are still left wondering when they will see their SNAP benefits hit their accounts. Here is what you need to know about the delays, how people are being impacted, and when benefits might be paid.

What is Behind the SNAP Delays?

The shutdown of the U.S. government has delayed several programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP provides food-purchasing assistance for low-income individuals and families. Currently, 41.7 million Americans rely on the program to feed themselves and their families.

With the program facing cuts and delays due to the shutdown, many families have been struggling to feed their children. Food banks have swiftly started to run out of items to give, and until yesterday, there was no end in sight. However, as mentioned above, a federal judge ordered the administration to pay out the benefits in full, but it’s not as straightforward as it sounds.

When Will I See My Benefits in My Account?

SNAP benefits delays — Image Source: Shutterstock

Only partial payments are being made. In some states, like North Carolina, these benefits have already started being paid out. But it’s only about half of what they’d normally be paid.

Rolling out these benefits in November is a complex issue. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “The recipients of these SNAP benefits need to understand, it’s going to take some time.”

When it comes down to it, funds truly just aren’t there in the event of a government shutdown. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says that it has about $4.65 billion in contingency funds for SNAP benefits. Unfortunately, that’s only about half of the $9.2 billion Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says SNAP will cost during the month of November.

Recipients can expect to see somewhere between 50 and 65% of their benefits applied to their accounts, depending on how benefits are calculated for the household.

It’s important to note that this type of rollout has never been done in the history of the program. So, it could take days, weeks, or even months for people to see the payments hit their accounts. On top of that, SNAP funds are handled by the individual states. There’s no real way to determine when each individual household will receive its partial payments.

States Who Have Verified Benefits Will Be Paid

North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services announced on November 4 that it was updating its payment systems to distribute SNAP benefits. Officials said that recipients could expect to start seeing payments by next week, though some individuals have reported receiving their benefits as early as Friday, November 7.
Massachusetts also issued a statement on November 5, stating that benefits could be released as early as next week.
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Louisiana, Minnesota, Rhode Island, New Mexico, New York, Vermont, and Virginia have all continued to pay out benefits in some fashion during the shutdown.

Pennsylvania and Ohio both acknowledged that SNAP benefits would be going out, but they don’t have a timeline for recipients. Officials said that people will be informed when benefits are reinstated.

How Families Are Dealing With the SNAP Delays

The unprecedented nature of these delays has left a lot of families scrambling to figure out a way to support their needs. The temporary lapse in SNAP has had dire impacts on individuals. Some are skipping meals or even choosing not to pay bills so they can have food. We spoke to several mothers who are trying to pin down what they are going to do as they wait for benefits to be reinstated.

“I tried to hold onto as much of my October food stamps as possible, but we just weren’t able to make it into the new month,” one North Carolina mother said. On top of that, one of her children is autistic and has AFRID. So, they have very specific food needs that food stamps helped them cope with. Many of the “one-pan” meals and cheaper options simply don’t work for her child. Right now, they’re scraping together what they can.

This mother, who would like to remain anonymous, also worries about keeping up with her family’s food needs. “The shutdown has hit us hard,” she said. “We plan every meal down to the portion, but now I’m stretching what little we have even further and constantly worrying about how to keep food on the table for three little kids.”

She’s not the only one facing similar situations. Other mothers spoke about how they are going to food banks, and there is next to nothing left. If you have even a slightly picky eater, you might not be able to find anything that your child will eat.

Misconceptions About SNAP Benefits

SNAP benefits cuts — Image Source: Shutterstock

The people receiving SNAP benefits really need them. One mother said she feels like it is one of the least abused programs. People are just trying to feed their families, and in some cases, it’s incredibly difficult to receive help through this program.

“We aren’t people asking for handouts; we are simply trying to survive. And in this economy, that’s so hard to do,” a Texas mother said. “Five years ago, I could support an entire household on my income alone. Now I can barely cover the necessities with that same income.”

Nicole Bilotta of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, works a full-time job as a server and has two children she raises on her own. She’s currently living on less than $1,200 a month (plus any tips she might make, which shakes out to only $25-30 a day most of the time). All of that in mind, she was denied SNAP benefits, and the recent cuts have hurt her livelihood. Fewer people are eating out, which means fewer tips and hours for many servers.

“It Takes A Village”

“I feel as if everyone should come together and help each other with resources because the government is playing games, and personally, I think this is another form of population control,” Bilotta said. “It takes a village, and it’s very much shown in the past few weeks.”

Not everyone has a large community to lean on, though. Taylor Hull, a mother in the Monroe, NC, area, said, “This is scary. How can I continue to make sure my child eats? Food goes bad, food doesn’t last, but making sure to feed my child is the hard part during this. I have family that can help… some. But I’m pretty much in my own, and I have no idea how to continue without them.”

Parents are worried about their children seeing the struggle, too. “Paycheck to paycheck has never been more of a real fear, but I also remember we grew up poor, but it wasn’t like we knew, and I hope in this intense time I can still do that for my kids,” said Kalli Cuppy, another NC mother.

Other Resources Available If You’re Struggling

SNAP Benefits Help — Image Source: Shutterstock

“The evidence shows that people will go hungry, food pantries will be overburdened, and needless suffering will occur,” Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell said. “Last weekend, SNAP benefits lapsed for the first time in our nation’s history. This is a problem that could have and should have been avoided.”

Just one week into the cuts/delays, many states are already seeing food banks and pantries struggling to keep up with the high demand of families in need. That said, the people we spoke with had some tips and tricks they’re using to scrape by during this difficult time. Here are some of the key things helping them make it work…

Pre-portioning out all of the food. “I’ve started to portion out everything into exact portions so there is no waste when it comes to cereal as well as chips,” one mom said.
Go to “non-grocery stores” like Big Lots and Dollar Tree. Amanda Potter, a resident of Union County, North Carolina, said, “Big Lots believe it or not, that’s my secret, is go to Big Lots and they do have like a dried food section and stuff, and you’d be surprised the good stuff that you can find there.”
Look for local resources. One Texas mother shared a list of resources available in their area (pictured above). She added that a local butcher was also offering 5 lbs of ground beef to affected indivduals.
Switch to canned or frozen goods. “It’s not ideal with a toddler who LOVES fresh fruits, but we are making due the best we can.”
Opt for discount foods. “They’re close to the expiration date and heavily discounted stuff, but obviously, if you’re hungry, you’re gonna go ahead and cook that ASAP.”

In addition to this list, there are some companies stepping in to help those in need. If possible, take advantage of those deals and discounts. Every little bit helps.

With the partial rollout of benefits happening, there is some hope that the impact on families will lessen. However, for many, it is crucial for the program to be up and running for them to continue living.

Have you been impacted by the SNAP cuts/delays? Share your experience in the comments. You never know when your story might help someone else not feel so alone in what they are experiencing right now.