North Carolina residents receiving food assistance through SNAP and WIC will continue to receive benefits through October, according to the state’s Department of Health and Human Services. More than 1.4 million rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and approximately 262,000 women, infants, and children are supported by the WIC program.
The assurance comes as uncertainty looms over a prolonged federal government shutdown. For November and beyond, the federal government is expected to issue further guidance on which programs will remain funded. Decisions on exemptions will determine whether these vital nutrition programs continue without interruption.
Food assistance is among the most widespread federal services impacted by the shutdown in North Carolina. Other affected areas include military pay and air travel. North Carolina is home to around 91,000 active-duty military personnel—about 7% of the national total—who may miss their next paycheck if the shutdown continues into next week.
The state’s major airports could also see disruptions due to reduced staffing from sick days or shortages among Transportation Security Administration and air traffic control personnel. Charlotte Douglas International Airport serves around 118,000 passengers daily, with Raleigh-Durham International handling 40,000, and Piedmont Triad International serving nearly 5,000 each day.
Despite those broader concerns, food and nutrition services remain the most far-reaching and urgent issue for North Carolina families. Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai stressed the importance of uninterrupted access to food assistance.
“Food and nutrition are foundational to good health and people should not have to worry about their families and communities going hungry,” Sangvai said in a statement. He urged a swift end to the shutdown to prevent disruptions in essential services.
The state continues to monitor developments in Washington, D.C., and is awaiting direction on how to proceed with federal funding beyond October.
