The U.S. Department of Agriculture has directed all state and regional SNAP agencies to halt transmission of November benefits until further notice.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides food assistance to low and no-income families. While it's a federal aid program, benefits are distributed at the state level.
A letter sent to Indiana's Family and Social Services Administration and agencies nationwide states there is not enough money to fully fund SNAP benefits after October 31st due to the ongoing government shutdown.
At least 42 million people rely on the program.
"My basic concern is not having enough to eat. Families being without food, individuals personally being without food," said Camille Thomas.
The uncertainty has put food banks on alert.
"People rely on it and it's crucial. Food is the baseline to everything and the far east side is home to the largest food desert in the state of Indiana. Putting something like this on top of what is already a crisis situation in the first place is just going to be absolutely damaging to people and their families," said Kendra Nowell, CEO of Community Alliance of the Far East Side (CAFE).
Nowell wants Indiana residents to know help is available. CAFE has a crisis cooler with free milk, eggs, produce, rice, beans and more. Several food pantries will also have Thanksgiving drives and giveaways as the holiday approaches.
"We look at food pantries, but we don't know what they're going to have. We don't know if they're gonna have an abundance," Thomas said.
The U.S. Food and Assistance Program stated in the letter that states have reached out with questions and some are preparing contingency plans. Indiana FSSA did not provide its plans.
Thomas said panic has set in for some families.
"People who are receiving benefits now are already struggling because the price of food is so high," she said. "The impact is going to be so big that we don't know how many people they're gonna be able to help. This is overwhelming."
Nowell encourages families to prepare and seek help. CAFE can be reached at 317-890-3288. The building is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon.
