Fiscal Committee OKs $2 million to expand mobile food pantries for SNAP recipients during federal shutdown

The Fiscal Committee voted unanimously to authorize up to $2,000,000 to contract with the New Hampshire Food Bank to expand mobile food pantry access for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients during an interruption of federal SNAP disbursements.

Commissioner Lori Weaver, Commissioner of Health and Human Services, told the committee the department received notice last week from USDA and the Food and Nutrition Service that the state ‘‘would not be receiving any funds for November 1.’’ She said the department activated a contingency plan to work with the food bank to increase access and supply for SNAP recipients.

‘‘So the item that you have before you is basically to accept and expend money to allow the department to create a contract, a specific contract with the food bank, to meet the needs of our SNAP recipients during the federal shutdown,’’ Weaver said.

Weaver said the department estimates roughly 74,000 SNAP recipient households in the state — about 45,000 adults and roughly 24,000…