ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The federal government shutdown that began Oct. 1 could soon affect food assistance for more than a million North Carolinians, state officials warned.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has told state agencies that current funds are insufficient to guarantee full payment of November 2025 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits nationwide. In North Carolina, about 1.4 million residents — roughly 13 percent of the population — rely on Food and Nutrition Services, the state’s version of SNAP.
More than 46,000 North Carolina veterans receive SNAP benefits. According to the NC SNAP Map, participation rates in Western North Carolina include 11.6 percent in Buncombe County, 9 percent in Henderson, 11.7 percent in Transylvania, nearly 14 percent in Haywood, 24.3 percent in Madison, 16 percent in Yancey, 10 percent in McDowell, 11 percent in Polk and more than 21 percent in Rutherford County…