CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) — South Carolina officials are sounding the alarm as a prolonged federal government shutdown could jeopardize food assistance for hundreds of thousands of residents next month.

The South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS) announced on Wednesday that if the shutdown extends beyond October 31, over 260,000 households dependent on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits may be affected.

SNAP plays a crucial role in America’s social safety net, assisting nearly 1 in 8 individuals nationwide each month. The program provides benefits through prepaid cards, which recipients use to purchase groceries.

In South Carolina, more than half a million people, including nearly 270,000 children, are enrolled in the SNAP program. Richland County leads in the number of beneficiaries, with Greenville and Spartanburg counties following closely behind, as per the latest data from SCDSS.

Brenda Shaw, chief development officer for Lowcountry Food Bank, explained, “SNAP benefits not only enable individuals to buy food, but they also act as an economic catalyst. Every dollar spent through SNAP at grocery stores generates about $1.50 in the local economy, supporting businesses and local farmers alike.”

Since the shutdown commenced, the program has relied on reserve funds according to the USDA’s contingency plan. However, an October 10 letter from the agency cautioned that without additional funding, there would not be enough resources to sustain benefits into November.

SCDSS officials said they were instructed that same day to hold their November issuance files, the data that states send to Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) vendors to have benefits loaded onto a SNAP recipient’s card.

“Until there is a resolution in Washington, D.C. and the federal government is funded and reopens, SCDSS will not be able to provide the federally funded benefits to new and on-going SNAP households until further notice,” the department warned.

A prolonged shutdown could also delay the approval of new applications, card issuances, and benefit recertification, according to officials.

To prepare for the possibility of lapsed benefits, the agency is urging SNAP households in South Carolina to seek other means of grocery assistance, including visiting community food banks and pantries.

SNAP users are also encouraged to take steps to protect their existing benefits by locking EBT cards when not in use, changing PINs, and turning off out-of-state purchase capabilities.

Officials said further information regarding future monthly or partial disbursements will be shared if and when the shutdown ends and the USDA issues additional guidance.

Local groups step in

With more families expected to need assistance in the coming months, local organizations are preparing to step in to ensure people can put food on the table.

But, officials said the potential pause in SNAP benefits, coupled with low donations and overall food scarcity, could make it more difficult for them to serve families heading into the holiday season.

“I’m very concerned that families who we are already helping and who get SNAP benefits will now have nothing,” said Stephanie Kelley, the executive director of East Cooper Community Outreach. “We won’t just be supplementing their SNAP benefits anymore; we’ll be their only source of food.

“And there are a lot of families in this area who don’t come to ECCO for help but rely on those benefits — and now they’ll have nowhere to go, which will put more pressure on our food pantry when our shelves are already looking as bare as they do right now,” she continued.

People can help support local food banks and pantries by donating non-perishable items or making a monetary donation.

The Associated Press contributed.