Gov. Kay Ivey using emergency funding to help provide food during government shutdown

Gov. Kay Ivey says she is releasing $2 million in emergency funds to help eight food banks providing aid to those who’ve lost SNAP benefits during the federal government shutdown.

Combined, the eight food banks serve all of the state’s 67 counties.

The Governor’s Office says this action comes on the 4th day of the month, which is the first day some of the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients will miss an issuance of those benefits to their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.

In Alabama, SNAP benefits are issued to recipients’ EBT cards on a specific day from the 4th of the month to the 23rd.

SNAP benefits are 100% federally funded.

Throughout the shutdown, The Alabama Department of Human Resources is redirecting an additional $3 million to the Feeding Alabama food banks network, which touches all 67 counties, the Governor’s Office says.

There are currently 11,434 children in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, and DHR is sending an additional $300 for each of those children to their caregivers. These additional funds should help these families offset some of their monthly costs due to the lack of SNAP funding.

“There are real Alabama families who rely on SNAP to put food on their tables, and that includes more than 300,000 children, more than 102,000 seniors and those who are disabled. That is why I am directing $2 million in emergency funding to go towards food banks serving the people of our state,” Gov. Ivey said. “We are now in the longest federal government shutdown in history, and it is absolutely ridiculous that families all across our country are suffering – whether that is the school children who rely on SNAP, the air traffic controller not receiving a paycheck or even our military and high number of federal government worker families in Alabama. Hear me loud and clear when I say Alabama cannot be both the state and federal government. And like states all across the country, Alabama is stepping up to help, but this is not sustainable by any means. U.S. Senate Democrats must vote to reopen the federal government now.”

Republicans are blaming Democrats for failing to vote to end the shutdown. Democrats say they won’t vote to reopen the government until Republicans negotiate with them on extending expiring subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Republicans say they won’t negotiate on the subsidies until Democrats vote to reopen the government. Ending the shutdown requires 60 votes on a spending plan, which requires Republicans to find a handful of Democrats to vote yes.

A few members of the Alabama Legislature have also inquired about a special session to tap into Rainy Day funds, the Governor’s Office says. Ivey has said she has no plans to call a special session. According to the law, in order to use Rainy Day funds, the state would need to be in proration, which is not the case.

Food banks included in the governor’s $2 million assistance are: Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, Food Bank of East Alabama, Food Bank of North Alabama, Feeding the Gulf Coast, Heart of Alabama Food Bank, Selma Area Food Bank, West Alabama Food Bank and the Wiregrass Area Food Bank.