SNAP recipients get benefits early amid government shutdown

Missouri residents who use food stamps through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program received their February food stamp benefits in January.

The Missouri Department of Social Services announced the early distribution of the benefits, citing the partial federal shutdown as the reason.

The website also says the department is unsure if people will get their food stamp benefits for future months after February if the shutdown continues. The department is urging recipients to carefully spend their benefits so they last for both January and February.

Samantha Flowers, a teacher in Columbia, said her benefits for February showed up on her card without warning. She said she did not receive a letter in the mail but was alerted to the early distribution by word of mouth and social media.

“I saw on Facebook, actually, that we were going to be giving up our February benefits this month,” Flowers said. “And I didn’t think much of it at first because there’s always stuff on Facebook that you can never really tell what’s true and what’s not.”

Later, Flowers went to the store and realized February’s benefits were already on her card.

Now, she has concerns about the uncertainty of the program in future months. She said she is worried about being able to feed her family if she stops receiving food stamps in the near future.

“It’s terrifying not knowing how I’m going to feed my family. It’s really scary,” she said. “It looks like a lot right now, but it has to last for two months and possibly even longer,” she said.

Flowers said she is planning her family’s meals to try to make them last in case she does not recieve benefits after February.

“Luckily, I’ve been one that’s a planner, and I make lots of freezer meals, and I know how to like, get bulk meats and save them up,” she said. “But for families that aren’t used to having that much at once, it’s so tempting to buy the good stuff now that you have extra money.”

Kayla Holland also gets food stamps to help feed her family. She is also planning ahead by buying expensive food items like meat.

Holland said the reality of the situation is scary, but the best thing people can do is plan ahead and try to stretch their dollar.