Federal shutdown forces reduced SNAP uncertainty; Forsyth County readies food‑assistance and staffing plans
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Summary
County leaders said USDA notifications and media reports indicated SNAP benefits for November could be reduced or delayed; WIC funding was extended through Nov. 30. Denise Price said county staff have contingency plans to avoid furloughs for most eligibility workers and to direct residents to local food resources.
The Forsyth County deputy county manager, Denise Price, told commissioners on Nov. 3 that federal guidance around SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is changing rapidly and that county staff are preparing contingency plans.
Price said state agencies were notified the USDA did not have sufficient funds to issue full November SNAP benefits and that media reports indicate federal judges ordered the administration to release some contingency funds. "We are expecting that there will be reduced allocations for that," she said, adding that the USDA contingency fund is smaller than the monthly cost of SNAP nationwide. Price also reported the county has data showing many local EBT accounts have very low remaining balances; she said roughly two‑thirds of recipients have $25 or less on their cards and a substantial share have less than $1.
Price said the county and local partners are continuing to coordinate response actions: maintain an up‑to‑date county webpage listing food and nutrition resources; urge residents to call pantries before traveling; and promote cash donations and coordinated food drives that local pantries can manage. She said Second Harvest Food Bank has already placed additional orders and that local providers with alternate food sourcing (including organizations distributing fresh produce) will also be part of response planning.
On WIC (Women, Infants and Children), Price said the county received successive short extensions. "Right after the last board meeting, we got notification that funding had been identified through November 15. And just this morning, we received notification that funding will continue through November 30," she said. Price said county leadership plans to operate WIC through those extensions, assessing two‑week continuations until the shutdown ends.
Price described staffing plans to avoid furloughs in the eligibility office: the county has 72 employees who work in the SNAP area; leadership aimed to retain those staff by reallocating duties and using county funds already budgeted so processing and recertifications continue. "No furloughs right now," she said. For WIC, which is grant‑funded and not an entitlement, she said the county has funding through Nov. 30 and will monitor extensions.
County officials urged residents seeking help to consult the Forsyth County updates page and to apply or respond to recertification requests promptly so they remain in queue if benefits are restored. Price asked residents who can help to coordinate with food pantries on their websites and called out cash donations as efficient for pantries that can buy in bulk.