Food aid programs are running low on money as the federal government shutdown continues. But they’re not all the same.
What’s Happening: The Georgia Department of Public Health wants residents to know that WIC and SNAP are two separate programs with different funding situations. Georgia WIC has enough money to keep running through mid-November, while SNAP benefits were set to stop November 1 until federal judges ordered the Trump administration to continue funding earlier today.
What’s Important: WIC participants should keep going to appointments and using their eWIC cards at stores until told otherwise. The state is looking at ways to keep the program going as long as possible.
Between the Lines: Many news reports have mixed up the two programs. WIC serves nearly 7 million pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children under 5 across the country. SNAP helps 42 million Americans buy food.
Catch Up Quick: The federal government shut down October 1 when Congress failed to pass a budget. The shutdown has now lasted more than 30 days.
The Big Picture: More than 248,000 people use WIC in Georgia. The program could run out of money if the shutdown goes past mid-November. Food banks across the state are preparing for more families to need help.
The Sources: Georgia Department of Public Health.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
