LAFAYETTE, La. — The second-longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history is creating ripple effects for neighbors in Lafayette.
Statewide, 17 percent of residents rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Benefits to put food on the table. According to the Louisiana Department of Health, 792,769 Louisianans in 396,157 households receive SNAP benefits.
As the shutdown continues, The Salvation Army in Lafayette expanded its usual food distribution schedule to help community members to get ahead of potential SNAP benefit disruptions.
While the organization typically holds donation drives on the 1st and 15th of each month, they decided to expand their services this month due to the circumstances, including a donation drive Monday morning.
"Ahead of the SNAP benefits that we are hearing that will be affected, we decided as a pantry that we were going to expand our scope and broaden our service," Lt. Dushawn Dupree said. "We are trying to meet the need ahead of the SNAP issues."
The event provided essential items like diapers and food to families throughout the community.
"They are just showing up and they are so thankful," Amber Page Use said.
Use not only volunteered at the donation drive but also bought and donated canned goods for her fellow neighbors. Having experienced hardship herself, she understands the challenges families face when trying to access assistance.
"My family and I — we suffered in the past with needed food, needing diapers, needed help, and sadly we never qualified for anything," Use said. "So I can only imagine the struggle of needing something and not qualifying but then needing it and receiving it and not being able to get it anymore. Like the amount of panic these families went through — 'what am I going to do,' how am I going to feed my children this week?"
Kizzy Broussard, who previously relied on SNAP benefits, attended the drive to receive a food box and connect with her community. The box included items rice, cooking oil, canned goods, drinks, fruits and bananas.
"It might not last that long but it's [the] thought that counts," Broussard said.
For volunteers like Davon Brennon Vallier, the turnout exceeded expectations while serving an important purpose during difficult times.
"I didn't expect this much people, but it's still a great event. We still helping people out and we are making it the best way we can to provide the best way we can," Vallier said.
According to the Louisiana Department of Health, SNAP benefits will not be issued to recipients starting November 1. Any unused SNAP benefits from previous months will remain on recipients’ Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards and can be used as usual.
The Department said they will communicate with beneficiaries about future benefits through numerous channels and will simultaneously communicate with retailers across the state. The Louisiana Department of Health will prioritize processing and issuing SNAP benefits to beneficiaries as soon as the federal government reopens in Washington, D.C., officials said.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed an emergency declaration to provide stopgap funding for SNAP in the state during the ongoing federal government shutdown. The emergency declaration specifically focuses on providing SNAP benefits to Louisiana's most vulnerable populations while the federal shutdown continues.
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