The ongoing three-week federal government shutdown is creating an immediate crisis for food assistance in South Carolina, threatening to cut off monthly benefits for approximately 560,000 residents enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently informed states that it lacks the funding to continue the program into November. This potential cutoff would directly impact thousands of the state’s most vulnerable residents, including those who are elderly, disabled, or rely on fixed incomes. About half of all SNAP recipients in South Carolina are children.
The loss of an average of per recipient household would eliminate the primary defense against hunger for countless families who spend their limited resources on housing and utilities.
Food Banks Brace for Unprecedented Need
South Carolina’s food relief organizations are preparing for a massive surge in demand. Harvest Hope, the state’s largest food bank, anticipates a level of need far exceeding even the peak seen during the pandemic.
Food bank leaders warn they cannot possibly fill the complete financial gap created by the loss of federal funds. The short notice of the funding crisis, combined with the uncertainty of when the shutdown will end, makes it difficult for both families and aid groups to prepare.
Harvest Hope is urging the community to act now by organizing food drives and increasing donations to stock warehouses and help mitigate the looming crisis.
The lack of federal funding means hundreds of thousands of South Carolinians face a sudden and severe period of food insecurity next month unless the government reopens immediately.
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