State readies SNAP and WIC contingency plans as federal funding uncertainties threaten November benefits

State health officials told the Health and Human Services Oversight Committee on Oct. 24 that they are preparing contingency measures in case federal USDA funding for November food benefits is not available.

Associate Commissioners Chris Santinello and Tricia Tilley said the department received a federal letter dated Oct. 10 and notified the state on Oct. 12 that the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) budget could lack sufficient funds to cover November issuances. New Hampshire must transmit its November SNAP benefit file by 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31; federal officials, they said, had directed states to hold transmissions until further notice. “We started yesterday sending out letters to participants, making them aware that we are not sure if benefits will be available,” Tilley said.

To reduce immediate food hardship if SNAP benefits are interrupted, the department said it is coordinating with the New Hampshire Food Bank to expand mobile food pantries and with stand-alone food pantries that operate SNAP-participant-only distributions. The department also described sending participant notices and working with its electronic benefits card vendor so benefits can be transmitted promptly if federal money is released mid-month.

WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) benefits operate separately from SNAP and serve a smaller population. Tilley told the committee WIC serves about 13,000 people in the state and that the department had identified a small infusion of funds that will keep WIC food benefits available through Nov. 7. To preserve available benefit dollars for food, the department temporarily redirected funding away from four community WIC sites run by partner agencies; those local programs may need to pause in-person services while food benefits are preserved.

Committee members pressed for detail on the state's fiscal actions and timing. Officials said they are coordinating with the governor's office and legislative fiscal leaders to present a transfer and related contract for governor and council approval; a special fiscal committee meeting was anticipated. On the scale of potential harm, the department told the committee SNAP serves roughly 42,000 households (an estimated 72,000–75,000 individuals), and the average SNAP benefit is about $300 per month.

The department emphasized uncertainty about whether federal guidance or supplemental funding would arrive and said its outreach and partnerships aim to blunt short-term food insecurity if benefits are delayed. Officials said they will provide any federal guidance to the committee when it becomes available.