Roughly 1 in 8 Kentuckians relies on the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP, but the new notice from the Trump administration indicates it will not tap contingency funds to pay for the program in November.
That's with no end in sight for the government shutdown.
Gov. Andy Beshear said the decision is "wrong," adding that "we should be fighting hunger, not causing it."
"We've got a letter from the federal government where they're not sending the money — it's at least $100 million dollars — and the letter says [Kentucky] is not to work with those vendors either," the governor said during a recent press availability. "It's a tough situation. It's one that we hope will be resolved earlier. My suggestion would be to go to every local food bank, but this is one that's really going to hurt."
Kentucky is set to use state funds, however, to cover the cost of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or the TANF program. Though it's unlikely those dollars could float the program into December if the shutdown continues.
Kentuckians receiving SNAP benefits are being directed to the Department of Community Based Services’ website.