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Officials issue February food stamp money weeks in advance due to government shutdown

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sunday is the last day families receiving food stamps will see money for February loaded onto their EBT cards.

Officials said the government is doing it weeks in advance because food stamps funding may run out soon.

[LINK: Electric Benefit Transfer]

North Carolina's Health Department is warning food stamp recepients to budget what they have carefully that way the money does not run out before the end of next month.

"When we think about Mecklenburg County alone, we're talking about aproximately 57,000 households that receive food and nutrition services so we want them to know what's happening," Men Tchaas Ari from the Mecklenburg County Adult and Economic Services said.

The money is getting sent out early because of an obscure budget provision allowing the USDA to pay out February SNAP benefits.

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If the government shutdown is not resolved soon, officials said there may not be any money for SNAP benefits in March.

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