December 2, 2018 started the government’s longest shutdown ever. President Donald Trump decided to shut down the government in December due to lack of support for his new border security plan.
Over 800,000 government employees were out of work for more than a month and government services like SNAP and Medicaid were running out of money before the third week of the shutdown hit. As a result SNAP recipients received February benefits in mid-January, which was the last food stipend they would receive until the government was officially declared back open.
“I didn’t think it would have lasted as long as it did, ” SNAP recipient Cheryl Steven said.
According to the Onondaga County Department of Social Services, about 73,000 people in the area depend on food stamps or SNAP. SNAP recipients have been trying to find the best way to budget.
The Food Bank of Central New York has been making sure that food pantries across the Syracuse area are equipped with enough food to feed the extra flow of people.
Although recipients received their benefits in early January, it still worries Rebecca Lare,Food Bank Advocacy Resource Manager, that families might not be budgeting well. So they have created different workshops around of the city to teach budgeting.
“We really try to be out there and present, to give folks those tips that they might find helpful when they are going to their grocery store to really maximize their grocery budget and especially stretch those snap SNAP dollars.”Rebecca said.
If SNAP beneficiaries have a need for food they, can go to their nearest food pantry like P.E.A.C.E INC or simply use coupons to help budget themselves better.
DANIELLE BULLUCK:
CHERYL STEVENS IS AN SNAP RECIPIENT WHO SAID THIS SHUTDOWN WAS LAST THING ON HER MIND.
CHERYL STEVENS:
“INTERVIEWER: DID YOU EVER THINK
SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD HAPPEN
CHERYL: NO, I NEVER THOUGHT
IT…YOU KNOW WHAT AND EVEN IF I
THOUGHT ABOUT IT I DIDN’T THINK IT
WOULD HAVE LAST AS LONG AS IT DID”
DANIELLE BULLUCK:
THE FOOD BANK OF CENTRAL NEW
YORK AND FOOD PANTRIES ACROSS
SYRACUSE HAVE STEP UP TO HELP
FAMILIES WHO ARE BEING AFFECTED BY THE SUSPENSION OF SNAP BENEFITS.
REBECCA LARE:
“WE’RE CONSIDERED THAT FOLKS MIGHT
HAVE SPENT THEIR SNAP DOLLARS
EARLIER, WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE
TO STRETCH THEIR DOLLARS INTO
FEBRUARY SO WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE MORE FOLKS TURNING THEIR LOCAL FOOD AND SOUP KITCHEN AS A RESULT. ”
DANIELLE BULLUCK:
ALTHOUGH RECIPIENTS RECEIVED THEIR FEBRUARY
BENEFITS MID JANUARY, IT STILL
WORRIES REBECCA LARE THE FOOD
BANK ADVOCACY RESOURCE MANAGER THAT FAMILIES MAY NOT BE BUDGETING WELL TO LAST THROUGH FEBRUARY.
REBECCA LARE:
WE REALLY TRY TO BE OUT THERE
AND PRESENT. TO GIVE FOLKS THOSE
TIPS THAT THEY MIGHT FIND HELPFUL
WHEN THEIR GOING TO THEIR GROCERY
STORE TO REALLY MAXIMIZE THEIR
GROCERY BUDGET AND ESPECIALLY
STARCH THOSE SNAP DOLLARS.
DANIELLE BULLUCK:
JAME RIVERS IS ANOTHER SNAP RECIPIENTS
WHO’S CHOOSING NOT TO
WORRY ABOUT WHAT MAY HAPPEN NEXT WITH SNAP AND THE GOVERNMENT.
JAMES RIVERS:
” I DON’T WORRY ABOUT NOTHING I
DON’T HAVE CONTROL OVER. AND I
DON’T HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT.”
DANIELLE BULLUCK:
“SNAP BENEFICIARIES IN NEED OF
FOOD CAN COME TO THERE NEAREST
FOOD PANTRY LIKE PEACE INC OR
SIMPLY USE COUPONS TO HELP BUDGET
THEMSELVES THROUGH THE MONTH OR
UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS
OFFICIALLY OVER.”
DANIELLE BULLUCK:
IF THE SHUTDOWN INTO MARCH, THE
FOOD BANK MAY HAVE TROUBLE PROVIDING FOR ALL ITS SOUP KITCHEN AND PANTRIES DEMANDS.
REBECCA LARE:
“SO FOR EVERY MEAL THAT THE FOOD
BANK OF CENTRAL NEW YORK
PROVIDES SNAP CAN PROVIDE 12.”
DANIELLE BULLUCK:
TO CHERYL IS JUST SIMPLY UNFAIR.
CHERYL STEVENS:
(” TO ME I THINK IT REDUNDANT THAT MEAN, WE HAVE TO OR ANYONE HAS TO
LIVE LIKE THIS.”)
