Kansas pays full November food assistance benefits; December payouts uncertain
The Kansas Department for Children and Families announced Friday that all beneficiaries of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will receive their full November payment by the end of the day. ((Photo by Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)
TOPEKA — After days of uncertainty about whether the federal government would release funding for food assistance, the Department for Children and Families announced Friday that it issued November benefits.
Kansans should have full access to their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits by the end of the day Friday, the state agency said on its website.
“All current Kansas beneficiaries will receive benefits on Nov. 7 instead of the typical monthly issuances that are staggered over a 10-day period according to last name,” the site said.
In a news release, Kansas Appleseed, which advocates to fight food insecurity, said “SNAP is one of the most effective tools we have to prevent hunger and strengthen local economies.”
“Every $1 spent through SNAP generates $1.50 into Kansas grocery stores, farmers markets, and small businesses, helping communities thrive while ensuring that families have access to healthy, affordable food,” the statement said.
The total November benefit distribution is more than $31.6 million to approximately 86,000 Kansas households, the DCF website said.
“This is great news for the thousands of Kansans who rely on this assistance to help put nutritious food on their tables,” said DCF Secretary Laura Howard in a news release. “I’m incredibly proud of how quickly the DCF team has been able to process multiple changes to the November benefits amount, work with our benefits processing partners to make adjustments and ultimately get this critical assistance out to Kansans as quickly as possible.”
On Oct. 28, Gov. Laura Kelly joined a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture for unlawfully suspending the SNAP program. The issuance of full November benefits comes after a federal judge on Thursday ordered USDA to full fund SNAP for November.
With the ongoing federal government shutdown, December SNAP benefits remain uncertain.