Mass. food banks preparing to help feed families as SNAP benefits will soon expire amid government shutdown
With 42 million Americans on the verge of losing their food stamps, several Massachusetts cities are stepping in to help.
On November 1, the Federal Food Assistance Program will no longer be funded due to the ongoing government shutdown.
A menacing warning on the USDA’s website states, “Bottom line, the well has run dry.”
In Methuen, where Mayor D.J. Beauregard estimates more than 10,000 people rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), officials are launching a city-wide food drive.
“In Methuen we take care of our own. It’s important to ensure that support goes to who truly needs it,” said Beauregard.
Officials are also stepping in in Lawrence.
On Monday, Congresswoman Lori Trahan toured the Lazarus House Food Pantry. Between the surge in need and federal funding cuts to food bank programs, Trahan said they are struggling to keep food on their shelves.
“When a program like Lazarus House can’t do the bare minimum of giving food to a family to take a little bit of that pressure off, it’s just terrible. It’s a terrible state of affairs,” said Trahan.
As the shutdown continues, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey did not hold back when calling on the White House to use contingency funds to pay for SNAP benefits.
“It’s been the judgment of prior administrations, every other president, to nevertheless say, ‘you know what, in America, we’re going to continue to make sure that kids, seniors, people with disabilities are fed.’ It’s something the president should do, that he owes to the American people. What he’s engaged in now it’s cruel, it’s callous,” said Healey.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu also warned of the extra strain for families.
“We need to make sure we are doing our best to hold the Trump Administration accountable,” said Wu.
But in Washington, House Speaker Mike Johnson was quick to blame Democrats.
“The Democrats are required to open the government,” said Johnson. “They keep saying Republicans are in charge of government. We aren’t, not in the senate. Sixty votes control the senate. Not a bare majority, so Democrat votes are required to open the government.”
Massachusetts has an $8 billion rainy day fund, but at a cost of $240,000 a month, Healey said there is no way the state can continue funding the SNAP benefits when they run out. The USDA argues that the emergency fund governors are asking the federal government to tap into are for emergencies only, and this instance does not apply.
