Georgians brace for impact as SNAP benefits end November 1

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) -SNAP benefits will stop going out Saturday as the government shutdown enters its 28th day, leaving 42 million Americans without food assistance.

The USDA says there isn’t enough funding to cover SNAP benefits if the government shutdown continues. The Senate is expected to vote for the 13th time to advance a funding bill that would reopen the government.

Senate Republicans are considering whether to move forward on measures to pay some federal workers or fund programs like SNAP.

Terry, a SNAP recipient who did not want her last name used, said she’s worried about the timing just a month before Thanksgiving.

“There’s worry that we just won’t have enough to eat for some time,” Terry said.

She said her family may have to rely on their children to provide holiday meals instead of herself as a parent.

“We have a smaller family get-together, it may be that we’ll be relying on my children to provide what normally as parents we provide during the holidays, you know, Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, that kind of thing. And that’s upsetting to me as a parent,” Terry said.

Rep. Rick Allen, R-Ga., said he voted 28 days ago to fund the SNAP program and all government programs.

“How our two senators from Georgia do not see and understand the risk, of what they are doing here to support their leader is beyond me,” Allen said.

Bobby Kogan from the Center for American Progress said the White House would be acting illegally if SNAP payments are not made in November.

“If the SNAP payments are in fact not made in the month of November, that is because the White House is illegally not making the payments,” Kogan said.

Terry said there are misconceptions about people who receive SNAP benefits.

“Most people think it’s people below the poverty line, people perhaps who need government assistance in all areas of their life. And it’s not,” Terry said. “It can affect your neighbor next door who may have a fairly nice house and a fairly nice car...there are a lot of reasons your income may not be nearly where it was, you know, several years ago.”

Congress hasn’t made progress on the government shutdown in four weeks, now people like Terry are left worried about putting food on the table.