CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) — State officials in South Carolina have issued a cautionary alert that the continuation of a federal government shutdown into the upcoming month could jeopardize food assistance for numerous residents. This warning highlights the potential impact on hundreds of thousands relying on this support.

On Wednesday, the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS) revealed that over 260,000 households dependent on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits face the threat of losing this vital aid if the shutdown extends beyond October 31.

As a pivotal component of the national social safety net, SNAP aids nearly one in every eight Americans monthly. Beneficiaries receive their assistance through prepaid cards, which they use to purchase groceries.

In South Carolina alone, the SNAP program supports over 500,000 individuals, inclusive of nearly 270,000 children, according to the latest data from SCDSS. The largest concentrations of recipients are found in Richland County, with Greenville and Spartanburg counties following closely behind.

“SNAP benefits do more than just allow individuals to buy food; they stimulate economic growth,” explained Brenda Shaw, chief development officer at Lowcountry Food Bank. “Every dollar spent through SNAP at grocery stores generates approximately $1.50 in the local economy, benefiting not just individuals but also supporting grocery stores and local farmers.”

Since the shutdown began, the program has been using reserve funding to stay afloat as per the USDA’s contingency plan. However, in an Oct. 10 letter, the agency warned that without further appropriations, it would not have enough money to fund benefits fully come 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.