Update, 11:45 am, 10/31: Two federal judges have ordered the Trump administration to fund SNAP using the USDA's contingency funds. Read more from The Associated Press.

_________________________________________________________________________________

10/29: More than 1 in 10 people in Washington state rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Most of those recipients are in households with children. 

And all of them will get cut off from those benefits on October 31st if the partial federal government shutdown doesn’t end by then. 

This week, Governor Ferguson said he’d direct over 2 million dollars in weekly food aid to state food banks should the shutdown continue. 

That program will start November 3rd. 

But is that enough to make up for the loss of SNAP benefits?

Guest

Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks, race and equity reporter, The Seattle Times

Related Links

WA to direct $2.2 million a week to food banks as SNAP cutoff nears  - The Seattle Times

WA SNAP benefits to run out Nov. 1 if government shutdown persists - The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.