The federal shutdown appears poised to end within days, easing more than a week of uncertainty around the nation's largest food relief program.
Tuesday, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein joined other Democratic officials to volunteer at the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, helping to sort the last bit of donations the food bank received from this year's North Carolina State Fair.
Stein also presented the food bank with a $3.34 million check, its portion of almost $22 million in state funds and donations raised to boost food relief as the shutdown halted SNAP benefits for about 1.4 million North Carolinians.
"We got the funds to the food banks, but we always knew that was a fleeting response. It really depends on the federal government. Having hungry Americans is a choice that the federal government is making. That is the wrong choice," Stein told reporters Tuesday.
The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina has been seeing heightened need since January, Amy Beros, its president and CEO, told reporters. That has grown during the shutdown, with thousands of federal workers across the state seeing increased need as their paychecks were halted and then the pause in SNAP benefits.
"This is the first time we've experienced this, and there's so much fear and uncertainty. And this has been a horrible roller coaster for our neighbors to have to navigate. Will they have food this month or tomorrow? And many have had to access the charitable food system for the first time," Beros said.
Beros also noted that federal cuts since the Trump Administration returned to the White House have limited the food bank's food supply even as it is seeing increased need in the 34 counties it serves.
SNAP benefits started to flow again last Friday after a federal judge ruled that the U.S. Department of Agriculture must tap a reserve for the program amid the shutdown.
Last Friday, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services issued about 65% of the normal SNAP benefit to about 586,000 households in North Carolina.
In a press release, Stein's office said that under the formula USDA provided to states, thousands did not receive any benefit last week. About 190,000 more received $16 or less on Friday.
DHHS was poised to send the full benefit, Stein's office said, but the Trump Administration appealed a court order that directed it to tap a separate fund to provide the full amount amid the shutdown.
"Unfortunately, the Trump Administration willfully and actively worked to stop SNAP benefits across the country, including here in North Carolina. They kept us from fully giving folks what they are entitled to under the law,” Stein said.
