Amid a federal government shutdown that has suspended November’s SNAP benefits, Mecklenburg County is stepping up with a financial commitment to support residents in need of food resources. In action that serves as a stopgap to federal inaction, the county will allocate $740,000 to provide additional assistance to those who have been suddenly cut off from much-needed assistance.
This strategic move comes at a critical time as the shutdown left approximately 138,500 SNAP participants in the area without their usual support, totaling around $24 million each month. Despite the enormity of the funding gap, the county’s injection of cash won’t match the suspended federal assistance, but local leaders are optimistic that their plan will alleviate some of the resulting strain. Among the efforts are expanded food pantry services, emergency food assistance through gift cards, and increased food distribution to seniors.
The efforts detailed by the county include providing 28,000 additional seven-day food boxes through Nourish Up and securing more resources to saturate all available spots at food pantries. With concerns peaking as the holidays near, Mecklenburg is looking forward to providing around 1,000 households with a holiday turkey through designated distribution at the Ella B. Scarborough Community Resource Center on Nov. 22…