Early Wednesday, Nevada officials announced they’d sent partial disbursements from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to more than 196,000 eligible households.
Since Nov. 1, recipients of SNAP, commonly known as food stamps, had been left without benefits for the first time in the program’s history. The Trump Administration had tried to withhold them, citing the ongoing federal shutdown.
Two federal judges rejected that argument, however, and compelled the federal government to pay out at least part of what it owed Americans who rely on the program.
But the delay left Michael Brownell-Frasier shivering in line at St. Vincent’s Food Pantry in downtown Reno on a very cold, windy and rainy morning. When he checked his SNAP account the day before, he was shocked to see a balance of only $1.09.
“My first paycheck was only $800. I had to pay $700 for rent and then the rest for my car, and then I was still broke. I didn’t have no food,” he said.
This week’s court-ordered payments provided some relief for Nevadans who rely on SNAP to help feed their families. But due to the way reduced benefits are calculated, it may not go very far. Meanwhile, local food banks are seeing booming demand as Congress remains deadlocked.
Annie Allen is Chief Operating Officer for Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada, which runs St. Vincent’s. She said the nonprofit is expanding its services at the food bank, and will serve dinner for families with children every weekend in November at its dining room.
“The majority of these individuals are new clients that we haven’t seen before,” she explained. “So there is that desperate need, and we’re wanting to step forward and help as much as we can.”
According to federal guidance, state administrators who distribute SNAP had to reduce maximum possible benefits for each household by half. But they didn’t adjust how they calculated each household’s income, so many recipients will get less than 50 percent of their normal benefits for the month.
Around 13,900 previously-approved households won’t receive any benefits at all.
To help offset the loss, Democratic state lawmakers announced plans to send $45.5 million in immediate cash assistance to SNAP recipients during an anticipated special legislative session. But Gov. Joe Lombardo would need to include it in the agenda, and he hasn’t yet announced a date for them to convene.
But Lombardo did activate about 35 National Guard troops to help food banks across the state this week, following California’s example. Staff Sgt. Joey Sandoval spoke to KUNR while he was filling boxes with canned goods and fresh produce at the Food Bank of Northern Nevada’s warehouse as part of the effort.
“We live in the community, we work in the community. This is not only affecting those outside of the Guard, [it’s] actually affecting a lot of our members directly,” he said.
Food Bank of Northern Nevada President Nicole Lamboley said the extra support enabled staff to ramp up food distribution across 13 mostly-rural counties.
“We are purchasing and increasing our inventory. So our team that is here every day needs the additional support to help move that food in our warehouse, and that's what the Guard knows how to do,” she said.
The National Guard will continue assisting the food bank for at least the next month, helping to ensure families across Northern Nevada can access meals.
But even with the additional help, food bank staff fear the demand will outpace their capacity.
Back at Catholic Charities, Michael Brownell-Frasier remained grateful — even though he didn’t have enough money for food this week. That’s because he recently got off the streets, after being homeless for years.
“I have a roof over my head, and I’m not struggling like some of the people over here. It’s sad for everybody that is really struggling more than me, that really do need it and benefit from it,” he said.
