As the federal government shutdown continues, Mecklenburg County is preparing for a pause in federally funded aid affecting vulnerable residents. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services announced that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will be temporarily suspended starting today. The suspension follows a USDA directive requiring North Carolina to halt the issuance of November benefits due to the shutdown.
According to Mecklenburg County, Approximately 138,500 residents in Mecklenburg County are expected to be affected by the temporary halt in SNAP benefits. County officials have acknowledged the potential impact and are coordinating with community partners to help address the shortfall. “No county in North Carolina, including Mecklenburg County, has the financial resources to supplement that level of funding,” County Manager Mike Bryant told commissioners during a Tuesday update.
In response to the halt in SNAP benefits, Mecklenburg County plans to provide $740,000 in support through partner organizations and programs aimed at assisting affected residents. Additional details about this initiative are expected to be released early next week. Residents with existing SNAP funds on their EBT cards can continue to use them without interruption. For information on remaining balances, cardholders are advised to visit ebtEDGE.com or call 1-888-622-7328.
The county also stated that the temporary suspension of SNAP benefits will not affect the Economic Services Division’s ongoing work in processing applications and determining eligibility. The division will continue its operations to ensure that the system is prepared to resume benefit distribution smoothly once the suspension is lifted.
