As the federal government shutdown enters its second month, more than 750,000 Oregonians have lost food assistance from the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP. The program is federally funded and feeds more than 1 in 6 people in the state, who use the monthly benefit to buy groceries. The program’s funding lapsed on Nov. 1.
A court ruling on Friday said the federal administration must find contingency funding for SNAP. However, there may be a few days’ delay before benefits are loaded on recipients’ debit cards.
OPB’s “Weekend Edition” host Lillian Karabaic spoke with Valarie Stevens, an eligibility worker with the Oregon Department of Human Services.
The following transcript has been edited for clarity and length.
Karabaic: Are you seeing an increase or a change in call volumes or drop-in visits? How are people reaching out to you?
Stevens: Yes, we have seen an increase in call volumes. Those that have asked about it have expressed a lot of frustration and anxiety about the possibility that they won’t receive SNAP. I’ve made it a priority to tell everyone I call so they’re able to plan for alternatives for next month. People are looking for reassurance and trying to get answers. There’s a lot of fear and confusion, so we’re focusing on letting people know alternative ways to get help.
Karabaic: You’re hearing that people are worried, it sounds like. What else are you hearing from people who get SNAP benefits right now?
Stevens: Yeah, many Oregonians are definitely worried. SNAP is the only or main source of food for many of the people we speak with. The budget of food pantries already having been massively cut by the federal government, it’s very possible if people won’t get enough food to get through the month, particularly if the shutdown lasts all through November.
Karabaic: I feel like it’s really challenging even as someone who works in the news to follow all the news right now. Are you concerned that there’s people that get SNAP benefits that don’t realize that they might not be there in November?
Stevens: I am very worried about that. People need to know about this delay so they can plan and hopefully stretch what they have long enough to get through until the shutdown is over, and also to ask for help from family, friends, and community organizations.
It’s also important that people know that the balance they already have on their SNAP Card can still be used even if they don’t get anything added on in November.
We kind of tried to put together all of those resources, help with budgeting links to outside organizations like 2-1-1.
Doubleuporegon.org is also a great resource for people to stretch the SNAP they do have further. It allows you to spend $20 in SNAP at Farmer’s Market and get $40 worth of produce.
Karabaic: What do you want people to know about SNAP benefits lapsing, not just people that are receiving SNAP benefits. What do you want them to know, from your perspective as someone that helps people access these resources everyday?
Stevens: I want to stress to continue applying for SNAP and renewing. If you already have SNAP, you may not receive the benefit right away, but once we have funding available, again, we’ll backdate the payments to load the missing balance.
If you don’t renew your case or provide requested documentation, your case will close and food benefits won’t start again until you reapply and you’ll have less money you can use for groceries.
Karabaic: So essentially keep doing the paperwork?
Stevens: Absolutely, yes. Keep on top of the paperwork. This is temporary. SNAP benefits will be returning, so don’t give up on your SNAP case. Please, please keep up with the paperwork.
Karabaic: Are people calling your office with concerns about anything else? I think a lot of people, their main entry into receiving self-sufficiency programs is the SNAP program.
Are you getting calls about other social safety net programs and other ways that people are getting squeezed from the federal shutdown?
Stevens: Yes, we have had some concerns about if Medicaid will be impacted. I just want to stress that Medicaid or the Oregon Health Plan, as it’s known in Oregon, is not affected by the shutdown and there have not been any cuts to it so far. Hopefully there never will be and we’re still open to help you with any of your medical needs. Also T.A.N.F., the cash program, and with daycare, that’s ERDC.
Over the last week or two, we prioritized processing all of the SNAP paperwork over other programs to make sure that everyone got as much food as we could get to them before the November delay started.
Karabaic: This is a hard job. What makes you come to work and show up every day to do this work?
Stevens: I’m someone who myself benefited from the SNAP and Medicaid programs. I went through a period of time where I was out of work for a year and I needed these programs in order to survive. I know what people are going through. I know how hard it is.
Even when you’re working, many people are not making enough to live with the cost of living being so high. What brings me to work every day is knowing that I have a chance to make a difference in that and hopefully get them where they need to be.
Karabaic: Thank you so much for joining me.
Stevens: Thank you again for having me. It’s been great.