Food benefits used by thousands of Washington households to help make ends meet might soon be a government shutdown casualty, officials said.

The state Department of Social and Health Services, or DSHS, said it “will not be able to issue food benefits after” Friday, Oct. 31, “if federal funding is not restored,” per an announcement by the agency.

Basic Food program benefits will be affected, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, which used to be called food stamps.

Statewide, close to 930,000 people in 540,000-plus households received food benefits in September, DSHS told The Olympian by email.

“We understand the possibility of a delay in benefits is stressful and can be hard on families, and we share your concern,” the agency said in its Oct. 24 announce

See Full Page