CalFresh benefits have been restored in Shasta since early November, county says
CalFresh benefits were expected to be delayed in November because of the government shutdown, but a lawsuit filed by California and other states restored benefits earlier this month.
CalFresh benefits — also known as SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — were restored earlier this month after being halted by the federal government shutdown, according to Shasta County officials.
Due to the shutdown, there were insufficient funds to pay for November SNAP benefits, causing millions of Americans to temporarily lose access to food assistance. But on Oct. 31, two federal courts ruled that the federal government was required to use contingency funds to continue supporting the program that serves over 42 million Americans and 5.5 million Californians.
On Nov. 6, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to immediately issue food assistance funding, allowing SNAP benefits for November to be loaded onto EBT cards. The government shutdown officially ended on Nov. 12.
In Shasta County, where about 17% of the population receives CalFresh benefits, recipients started seeing their benefits again on Nov. 6, according to Shasta Health and Human Services Program Manager Holly Weld. She explained that benefits typically arrive in recipients’ accounts between the first and 10th of every month, and that despite the shutdown, benefits were delivered on schedule.
“Clients have been sharing with HHSA staff that they are receiving benefits without difficulty,” Weld said.
Benefits for the month of November arrived in recipients’ accounts from Nov. 6 through 10, the county said — though it’s possible that some recipients didn’t receive their benefits during that time, which could’ve been for a variety of reasons, such as a recipient not submitting required forms on time.
HHSA didn’t notify the public that CalFresh benefits have been restored until yesterday, a day after Shasta Scout asked why the agency hadn’t sent out an update. On Wednesday, the county said the information about benefits being restored had not yet been shared by a press release because the shutdown “has been frequently in the news.”
“Our first priority has been serving our clients and community members most impacted by the government shutdown,” the agency said in an email statement.
Do you have information or a correction to share? Email us: editor@shastascout.org.
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If people will just go to the word of God, the Bible, they need not fear whatever. He says that He will always provide our drink, food, shelter, clothes. Ask Him!
Time for people to have some self-respect, get off drugs and put their own food on the table.
So, who is responsible for shutting down the government?