North Carolina families who receive food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps, will begin seeing partial November benefits loaded onto their EBT cards today (Nov. 7).
The N.C. Dept. of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has directed states to issue November SNAP benefits at 65 percent of normal amounts. This change follows federal action earlier this week to release $4.65 billion in emergency funds for SNAP during the ongoing federal government shutdown.
Because of this new guidance, North Carolina has been able to issue partial benefits earlier than expected. However, families should be aware that the amount they receive this month will be less than their usual benefit.
NCDHHS shared the following key points for SNAP recipients:
- Benefits for November are being issued all at once, meaning families may receive themon a different date than usual.
- Some households that normally receive smaller benefit amountsmay not receive any benefit this month.
- At this time, it isnot known whether additional SNAP funds will be made available later in November.
Families can check their EBT card balances by visiting www.ebtEDGE.com or by calling the number on the back of their card.
Local residents who have questions or need help understanding their SNAP benefits are encouraged to contact their county Department of Social Services.
While this update brings some relief, NCDHHS officials continue to work closely with federal partners to advocate for full funding and minimize disruption for families across the state.
SNAP has been paused due to the government shutdown, now in its 37th day. A central issue in the standoff between Republicans and Democrats is extending health insurance subsidies, as well as allowing illegal immigrants to access health care and other benefits. Obamacare subsidies were set to expire this year, causing insurance premiums to rise dramatically for many Americans.
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