How will government shutdown affect people on SNAP, WIC?
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The federal government officially shut down on Wednesday, and the impact is already hitting home.
For families in Memphis who depend on SNAP and WIC benefits, it could mean less food on the table. Shoppers who spoke with FOX13 on Wednesday afternoon said the shutdown has them worried.
“That’s the only way we can survive, feed our kids, and, you know, we look forward to it, you know. So, it is kind of a hard thing,” said shopper Christopher Wright.
The government shutdown isn’t just about politics in Washington. In Memphis, it could mean empty fridges and skipped meals. Wright, a father of three, said that SNAP benefits are his family’s lifeline.
“It could be really rough,” Wright said. “People try to work, you know, try to feed their families, stuff like that.”
He’s one of more than 173,000 people in Shelby County who rely on SNAP benefits every month and one of nearly 711,000 Tennesseeans statewide. According to the Food Research and Action Center, October benefits are expected to go out, but future months are in question depending on how long the shutdown lasts. WIC, which helps mothers and children, could see cutbacks even sooner.
“It’s really going to hurt the Black community, ’cause, you know, a lot of people are dependent on the food stamps, and not everybody got a stable job,” one shopper told FOX13.
University of Memphis social work professor Elena Delavega said the shutdown puts the poorest people at the greatest risk.
“People who have a disruption don’t have any room for error,” Delavega said. “Wealthier people may have a refrigerator full of food. They may have a bank account with money that they can rely on, but people in poverty are usually going from day to day to day.”
She said families are already being asked to do more with less, and she warns that cutting food assistance forces impossible choices.
“And it’s a really difficult thing to say because how much can you cut your food consumption before you die?” asked Delavega.
WIC participants are urged to contact their local health department for updates on services.
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