The Dallas City Council approved a $1 million donation to the North Texas Food Bank on Wednesday afternoon in response to the federal government shutdown, which has stalled the distribution of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for millions of Texans who rely on the aid to put food on the table.
The deal was a joint agreement between the city and Dallas County, which saw both entities contribute $1 million to the North Texas Food Bank’s “emergency food distribution programming.” The money will be disbursed through February, and the Dallas chief financial officer informed council members that the funds were drawn from interest earned on the American Rescue Plan Redevelopment Fund, paid for by federal grants, and will not be sourced from any other city department.
Some Texans began receiving partial SNAP benefits on Monday, more than a week later than they’d usually receive the credits that can be used to purchase groceries. Most enrollees have received just 65% of their usual allotment, the Texas Tribune reports, but the legal back-and-forth over the program’s pause has left many beneficiaries wondering if their assistance will be issued or, if already issued, revoked…