Counties, Food Banks Mobilize After SNAP Cuts

The federal government shutdown has paused or sharply reduced SNAP benefits, and partial payments will not immediately restore full benefits. Mecklenburg County, where about 138,500 residents (roughly 63,000 households) rely on SNAP, is allocating $740,000 to emergency relief including tens of thousands of food boxes, $50 food-only gift cards, farmers market vouchers, expanded pantry capacity, mobile markets for seniors, and holiday turkey and donation drives. Other local responses include Erie County officials proposing a $1 million supplemental appropriation to Second Harvest, York County groups seeding roughly $65,000 in relief grants, and Hays County organizers launching a “For Our Neighbors” fund to aid nearly 17,000 SNAP recipients. Food banks and community efforts report soaring demand and strains — community refrigerators in Memphis are emptying faster and local pantries such as Our Daily Bread in Marco Island distributed 1,200 holiday chickens and turkeys — while groups note pooled donations (Second Harvest said $25 can feed one person for about three weeks) are being used for immediate purchases. Officials warn that local funds cannot fully replace roughly $24 million in monthly SNAP benefits in some jurisdictions and are urging a federal resolution while coordinating additional local assistance.