TULSA, Okla. — As the first day of the U.S. federal government shutdown nears its end, federal food assistance programs have a better idea of how it will affect Oklahomans.
Many families and college students in Oklahoma depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits.
Following the shutdown, one of the concerns Oklahomans have is how the shutdown will affect their ability to access food.
“In short, no impact on SNAP benefits for October — they should be fine,” said Chris Bernard, president and CEO of Hunger Free Oklahoma. “The state will issue as usual. If the shutdown goes into late October, we can’t say for sure, but there are concerns about delays in benefit issuance due to potential staff layoffs or processing delays.”
Bernard emphasized the role federal food assistance programs play in both family nutrition and Oklahoma’s economy.
“SNAP alone is worth over $100 million a month to address food insecurity in Oklahoma,” said Bernard. “If that’s cut or families pull back spending due to uncertainty, it’s a blow to grocery stores and the local economy. The longer this shutdown continues, the more challenging it becomes, not just for families but for the entire system trying to support them.”
While there are no specific steps SNAP or WIC recipients can take to prevent delays, Bernard encouraged Oklahomans to plan ahead.
“If you know you’ll receive benefits this month, consider saving some for November in case of delays,” said Bernard.
Organizations like the Tulsa Dream Center (TDC) are already bracing for increased demand.
“We’ve been anticipating this,” said Pastor Tim Newton, Executive Director of the Tulsa Dream Center. “We’ve been ramping up food drives and donations because we know the tidal wave of people is coming. The shutdown makes it real now.”
Newtown said that while the center distributes groceries every Tuesday and Thursday, they have to adjust if demand overwhelms supplies.
“We may need to limit visits once a week just to make sure our supplies last,” said Pastor Newton. “But we’re here for the community and we’ll do everything we can.”
SNAP Benefits are expected to continue without interruption throughout this month. For questions about SNAP, contact the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. For WIC questions, contact your state or tribal WIC office.
For those looking to stretch their SNAP benefits, Hunger Free Oklahoma participates in the Double Up Oklahoma program, which matches SNAP benefits dollar-for-dollar on fresh produce.
For more information and resources, click here.
