Food Bank prepares for end of SNAP

TYLER – As the United States government shut down threatens SNAP food benefits, the East Texas Food Bank is preparing to step up for East Texans who rely on the program’s assistance.

According to our news partner KETK and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, November’s SNAP benefits won’t be sent out if the government shut down continues on Monday. East Texas Food Bank CEO, David Emerson, explained that they’re already preparing to meet a greater demand for food.

“So we’re already buying more food in anticipation of this,” Emerson said. “So we always have truckloads coming in on a regular basis and just this week alone, just yesterday I ordered $200,000 more food, that we’re going to have to go out and purchase, that we weren’t planning on purchasing.”

Medicaid, WIC, TANF and CHIP benefits will reportedly be unaffected if the shutdown continues on Monday but the more than 41 million Americans who use SNAP will lose access to the program unless the government acts by Monday. East Texans can visit the East Texas Food Bank online to learn more about their services.