KENTUCKY (FOX 56) — With the federal government shutdown still ongoing, thousands of Kentuckians may soon lose access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Food banks across the state are preparing to support families who rely on these benefits as winter approaches.
Governor Andy Beshear said Monday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has not authorized November SNAP benefits, leaving many households uncertain about food assistance.
“They’re not sending the money. It’s at least $100 million. And the letter says we’re not to work with those vendors either,” Beshear said.
More than 600,000 Kentuckians are currently enrolled in the SNAP program.
The Department of Agriculture also manages the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program, which provides food assistance to nearly 7 million Americans. While federally funded, WIC is administered by individual states.
According to Nexstar, after President Trump approved emergency funding earlier in the month, WIC programs were able to continue temporarily. However, funds are once again running low.
“The National WIC Association is grateful for the emergency funds that kept WIC running this month. However, without additional support, State WIC Agencies face another looming crisis,” said Georgia Machell, president and CEO of the NWA, in a statement.
In Kentucky, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services confirmed that Kentucky WIC will continue operating through the shutdown, and benefits will remain available until further notice.
This includes continued use of eWIC cards, and WIC-approved stores can still process purchases.
“We encourage families to keep their WIC appointments and stay in contact with their local WIC clinics during the shutdown,” officials with the Laurel County Health Department said.
Families needing support are encouraged to complete a needs assessment through the Kynect Resources website.
Additional details about Kentucky’s WIC and SNAP programs are available on their official state portals.
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