North Carolina Warns of Food Shortages as Government Shutdown Delays SNAP Payments

Strategic Insights -

North Carolina residents who rely on federal food assistance are bracing for a potential crisis as the government shutdown delays Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments. The state warns that around 1.4 million North Carolinians, including 600,000 children, will be affected by the cuts, potentially overwhelming local food banks and pantries that provide aid. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had informed states to stop refilling SNAP benefits on November 1, and state funding is not replacing it.

Key Takeaways:

  • Around 1.4 million North Carolinians, 13% of the state's population, will be affected by the SNAP benefit cuts.
  • 600,000 of those affected are children, according to Jonathan Kappler, the deputy secretary of external affairs at the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
  • SNAP benefits, commonly known as food stamps, add up to around $230 million to $250 million in food aid every month, with each person receiving $175 per month.
  • Around 80% of people receiving SNAP benefits in North Carolina are working, Kappler noted.
  • North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson joined a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture to force it to continue SNAP payments.
  • The lawsuit argues that the USDA can't override the will of Congress and should use its $6 billion emergency fund to continue SNAP payments.
  • The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, the state's largest food bank, has a $1 million emergency fund to purchase food for the shutdown period.
  • The food bank says there's a lot of fear and no way to prepare for the massive cuts, which will be a significant burden on local food banks and pantries.

Statistics:

  • 1.4 million North Carolinians are affected by the SNAP benefit cuts.
  • 600,000 children are affected by the benefit cuts.
  • The monthly SNAP benefit total is around $230 million to $250 million.
  • Each person receives $175 per month in SNAP benefits.
  • The emergency fund of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina is $1 million.

Sources:

  • Axios: "North Carolina warns of food shortages as government shutdown delays SNAP payments"
  • (https://www.ncdhhs.gov/media/28812/download) Letter from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to states.
  • Axios: "Why a government shutdown could be a disaster for families on food stamps"
  • (https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2025/07/21/north-carolina-food-bank-snap-food-stamp-cuts-hunger) The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina's statement on SNAP cuts.
  • Axios: "Quinnipiac University poll shows 45% of registered voters blame Republicans for the shutdown"