Danielle Eatmon, a San Antonio mother of four, says her SNAP at last check sat around $1.37, far below the roughly $436 she usually receives each month.
SAN ANTONIO — While the longest government shutdown in U.S. history has ended, millions of Americans are still waiting for their full allotments of November benefits from federal nutrition programs, including SNAP and WIC. The delay has left families across Texas scrambling to cover the cost of groceries and baby supplies.
Texas health officials say SNAP recipients who received only partial benefits earlier this month should expect the remainder of their November payments on or after Nov. 14. But for many families, the wait has been financially straining as the government ramps back up.
Danielle Eatmon, a San Antonio mother of four, says her balance dropped to just $1.37, far below the roughly $436 she usually receives each month.
“Anybody who’s in an average American household with small children knows that fruits and vegetables are king,” Eatmon said. “Kids go through fruit like it’s nobody’s business, and it’s not cheap.”
Eatmon noted baby formula alone has become one of her biggest expenses. A single can costs about $20, and her 8-month-old goes through one every three days.
“The only way we’re getting through this is through the grace of family members and friends,” Eatmon said.
Local nonprofits report a dramatic spike in need. Inner City Development more than doubled the number of people served through its emergency food pantry during the shutdown. Co-executive director Patti Radle says many families are still recovering, even with the government back open.
“There’s still a lot of anxiety for people not knowing how long they have to go through this sort of desert of having the food they were used to,” Radle said. “It is more pressure right now. We’re trying to raise the funds to make sure these shelves are stocked 365 days a year.”
The San Antonio Food Bank is also working to restock ahead of Thanksgiving and the holiday season. The Food Bank played a massive in role in assisting thousands of people impacted by the government shutdown.
Eric Cooper, the nonprofit’s president and CEO, urges anyone experiencing delayed or reduced benefits to reach out to the San Antonio Food Bank.
“We’ll see that demand, the effects of the government shutdown but we’ll have our families that are just impacted because they don’t make enough and aren’t keeping up with putting food on the table because of rent being high or utilities or just the inflation of food,” Cooper said. “Partial or full or no benefits from the SNAP program if you’re in need of food assistance, please come to us at the San Antonio Food Bank.”
To learn more the San Antonio Food Bank go here – https://safoodbank.org/
To learn more about Inner City Development go here – https://www.innercitydevelopment.org/