ST. PAUL, Minn. (GRAY) – According to Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), the state will stop distributing food assistance starting Nov. 1 if a federal government shutdown continues.
DCYF sent an email to Minnesota’s 87 counties and 11 tribal nations earlier this week, laying out a timeline that appears to taper off the distribution of benefits.
According to the email, the USDA notified DCYF last week that if the shutdown continues into November, it will not have sufficient funds to continue paying SNAP benefits. The Minnesota Family Investment Program, or MFIP, will also be impacted.
DCYF laid out the following timeline, verbatim, to counties:
Wednesday, Oct. 15 – pending SNAP applications processed on or after this date cannot be approved.
Tuesday, Oct. 2