29 January 2023 (18:11-UTC-07 Tango 06) 09 Bahman 1401/07 Rajab 1444/08 Gui-Chou 4721/29 январь 2023 года

Here in Bannock County, Idaho, there has been a run on local food pantries.  I live in Chubbuck, and the local food pantry is located at the Gate City Christian Church (there are several websites listing it as in Pocatello, but it is actually in Chubbuck), and on 27JAN20232 they were swamped.  The food pantry was left with almost no food; no fresh produce, no dairy, almost no frozen meats, almost no bread/pasta.  Their U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) offerings were down to just cans of pumpkin puree and pasta sauce.  Interestingly, at the beginning of the month they changed their hours of operation, in expectation of more people which is exactly what they got.

I did some research to find out what was going on, and apparently there are two major problems taking place involving the USDA SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, originally known as Food Stamps): 1; many states are overwhelmed with SNAP applications, some states as much as four months behind, 2; the extra Pandemic SNAP funding is about to end in February/March (depending on the news source), and some states have already ended the Pandemic funding (like Idaho)!

For those of you who don’t know, each U.S. state handles the federal SNAP program differently, some states have very liberal programs while others are very tight fisted.

There doesn’t seem to be an explanation for the SNAP application backlog, but some states are having no problem spending tax dollars hiring security guards for their Social Services operations.  The fact that the extra Pandemic funding for SNAP is coming to an end indicates the federal government thinks the Pandemic is over.

Here are links to local news reports/videos (tip-o-the-iceberg) about the SNAP shenanigans taking place across the United States:

8 News Now: Thousands of people in sparsely populated Nevada losing SNAP assistance!

9 News: More than half a million Coloradans hit by SNAP cuts!

Anchorage Daily News: 9-hundred SNAP applications from October 2022 still to be counted, not known how many in November and December! Alaska spends tax dollars on security guards to protect Department of Health workers due to threats of violence!  Medicaid is the next domino to fall!

Alaska’s Division of Public Assistance director suddenly quits due to SNAP shenanigans!

Alaska Beacon: Four months long SNAP application backlog results in lawsuit, thousands going hungry!

Axios: SNAP benefits returning to pre-COVID amounts in February

Baltimore Banner: Mother tries to get back nearly $3,000 worth of SNAP benefits that were stolen from her!

Bloomberg: Scammers Rip Off SNAP Benefits

CBS Chicago: 2-million people in Illinois affected by SNAP cuts!

CBS News: Iowa representatives in the U.S. Congress want to ban meat, butter and flour from SNAP, even though nationwide there has been a 14% increase in people on SNAP since the Pandemic began!

Delaware Public Media: The 2018 Farm Bill is about to end, Congress is debating the 2023 Farm Bill, which will directly affect SNAP and non-profits who get federal funding for things like food pantries.

Forbes: SNAP Cuts Begin In March For Emergency Allotment Recipients, 48 states affected

Fox 8 News: Staggering cuts coming to Ohio’s SNAP

Fox News Milwaukee: Extra SNAP benefits that began due to COVID set to end next month in 32 states

Gothamist: New Yorkers sue city over delays to SNAP

Insider NJ: New Jersey sets $50 minimum SNAP limit per household!

KTOO: Alaska government administrators blame lack of social service workers on 2021 cyberattack, however, Alaska State Employees Association Local 52 says SNAP application backlog caused by massive state layoffs that took place before the cyber attack!

Prairie News: As of November 2022,  the USDA said 82% of U.S. citizens are eligible for SNAP; 74% are working poor, and 42% are elderly. In the state of Texas, 75% are eligible, and Texas comes second in the nation with the highest number of households using SNAP, with 1.1 million people. In the city of Amarillo, 9,115 people, or 12.1% of the population, receive food stamp benefits.

Record Courier: Food pantries to be swamped when Ohio ends Pandemic SNAP!

WSLS: Food producer donated 30-thousand pounds of meat to help Southwest Virginia food operations, due to SNAP cuts!

WDTN: Ohio food pantries prep for end to SNAP Pandemic funding.

Yahoo Finance: The following states already ended the Pandemic SNAP funding: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wyoming.

Santa Fe New Mexican: COVID-19 emergency SNAP benefits to end in March

Hunger Games: BLM FAILED IDAHO IN FAVOR OF GERMAN PHARMA/AG GIANT!