NC agencies to continue providing WIC, SNAP through October

CHARLOTTE — The federal government has been shut down since Oct. 6, and some state agencies are working to keep up as funds dry out.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced that, despite the ongoing government shutdown, federal food assistance programs like SNAP will continue to provide benefits throughout October.

NCDHHS said it is waiting on further guidance from the United States Department of Agriculture on how to proceed if the shutdown continues, ensuring that people who depend on these benefits are not left without support.

The NCDHHS is working with federal partners to mitigate the impacts of the shutdown, specifically in regards to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC.

“Poor access to nutrition is linked to poor health outcomes for infants and children,” said Yvonne Copeland, NCDHHS Director of the Division of Child and Family Wellbeing.

The federal government is in the process of determining which services may be “exempt” from the shutdown.

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