As SNAP benefits expire, about 12,000 Whatcom households lose access to food aid
The Bellingham Food Bank is preparing for a large increase in demand after federal, pandemic-era food stamp benefits came to an end on Wednesday, March 1.
For almost three years, emergency legislation enacted by Congress allowed more than 30 million people nationwide participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, to receive maximum monthly benefits, regardless of income.
Now that those expanded benefits have expired, families across the U.S. and in Whatcom County will be impacted.
About 15% of households in Whatcom County receive food stamps, according to U.S. Census Data. That’s about 12,000 households.
“These cuts in food stamps benefits couldn’t come at a worse time for thousands of Whatcom County families and families across the country who are already struggling with a benefit that doesn’t get them through the month for most families,” said Bellingham Food Bank Executive Director Mike Cohen in a telephone interview with The Bellingham Herald.
Locally, food bank use has never been higher, according to Cohen.
In 2022, visits to the Bellingham Food Bank doubled, averaging 3,500 household visits every week. That was the highest number of people visiting the food bank since 1972, according to Cohen.
In early 2023, almost 4,000 households visit the food bank every week.
“We are already struggling to purchase all the food that our shoppers want and need. This (food stamp cut) is only going to increase demand that is already unprecedented,” Cohen said.
In the short-term, volunteering and donating food or money to the food bank is helpful but, according to Cohen, it’s not enough to solve the food insecurity crisis.
“The truth is, we can’t ‘food drive’ or ‘home-garden’ our way out of this,” Cohen said. “Those are very positive inputs but we need lots of other inputs.”
In 2022, the Bellingham City Council authorized a $500,000 grant to the Bellingham Food Bank and the Salvation Army Food Bank utilizing American Rescue Plan Act funds to try to prepare for this increase in need.
“This critical additional support was provided as we anticipated changes to the SNAP program as well as acknowledging increases in grocery, housing and other basic living expenses in recent years,” said city of Bellingham Communications Director Janice Keller in an email to The Herald.
To counteract the impact of expiring pandemic SNAP benefits statewide, the Washington State Legislature also introduced House Bill 1784 in February. The bill would provide $28 million in food assistance immediately through June 30, 2023, when the new state budget passes.
Of that, $20 million would be granted directly to hunger relief organizations, $2 million would be provided for the fruit and vegetable incentives program and $6 million would be provided for senior nutrition services programs and outreach to target people most impacted by food insecurity.
The bill states that ending the emergency federal funding will result “in a loss of $93 million per month in federal food assistance to Washington households living at or below the federal poverty line.?
The house unanimously passed the bill on Monday, Feb. 27. It was making its way through the Senate on Wednesday. If it passes, it will move to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk for a final signature.
