The government shutdown has made most beneficiaries of some type of social aid nervous because there will be no payment on November 1.
It’s not good news, of course, and we wish we didn’t have to explain this, but the federal shutdown means payments are suspended this month. Yes, a social benefit meant to help vulnerable people buy food will not arrive this month.
SNAP is not lost
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) has confirmed that payments will not arrive on November 1, but the money you already have on your card will not be affected by the government suspension.
So, we’ll have to tighten our belts until our leaders decide to reach an agreement…
“People are calling us hoping we’ll deny the rumor, but unfortunately it’s true: payments are paused until the government starts running again” explained Mackenzie Libbey.
And it’s not like SNAP is a huge amount, it’s about 180 dollars per person per month (around 6 dollars a day), but for those who depend on that money, it literally makes the difference between eating or not eating. And of course, they are not to blame for the shutdown, but they will be the first to suffer its effects.
What you can do with your EBT card
The money already on your EBT, luckily, as we said before, will not disappear, you’ll still have it available.
“That money was already approved by Congress. We don’t want people to rush out and spend it all thinking they’ll lose it. They won’t”.
You can continue using your EBT normally in the supermarkets where you always shop.
What’s happening in Philadelphia?
Approximately 30% of the population (470,000 people) depend on SNAP in this state. That means when funds are interrupted, people go hungry. And if we also add the new requirements added to the program, we’re talking about a lot of people struggling to eat.
Since October 16, the state has stopped issuing SNAP payments, and many families are turning to food banks and community organizations to survive…
But not everyone can do that, there are elderly people or those with limited mobility who can’t get to those places. Is this fair? Is this the land of freedom and the best country to live in?
What will happen when the government starts running again
When the shutdown ends, November payments will be issued retroactively, so no one will lose their monthly benefits. But until then… people are advised to stay calm and continue meeting program requirements (sending reports, actively looking for work, updating personal information, etc.).
But we know it’s not fair. This situation isn’t fair, and the ones who will pay for it are those least responsible for it. When the system restarts (which could be in two days, seven, or two months), there will be many more people below the poverty line…
A fragile system
Millions of families depend on SNAP, but it’s such a vulnerable system that when politics stops, payments stop too. And you know what? Hunger doesn’t care about political opinions… Luckily, the funds already loaded won’t disappear, but people will have to stretch every dollar to buy food with what’s left from previous months.
Patience and organization (as always), and hope that things start working again soon before our stomachs start to feel the lack of food… Hurry up, Washington!