The Mississippi Department of Human Services is distributing the remaining November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to recipients.
With the longest shutdown in U.S. history coming to an end earlier this month, officials at the state level scrambled to deliver full SNAP benefits to individuals who missed all or part of their regular monthly payments.
Mississippi officials, who announced a temporary pause on SNAP benefits last month before later saying that up to 65% of benefits would be delivered, vowed to issue this month’s funds as soon as possible. Now, they’re expecting recipients to expect their total benefit balance to be available as early as Friday. SNAP clients, however, are encouraged to check their account balance to confirm receipt of benefits. MDHS further added that December benefits are expected to be issued on time.
RELATED: Mississippi governor requests waiver to ban junk foods from SNAP program
SNAP took a hard hit during the shutdown, garnering headlines of food banks across Mississippi and other states hustling to keep shelves stocked and low-income families fed. The food-assistance program serves around 42 million people nationally – about 1 in 8 Americans – including roughly 385,000 Mississippians, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
