The lack of food impacts many in SC
- Charles Reams 1
- Jan 7
- 1 min read
The temporary suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits due to the October government shutdown had immediate and severe consequences.
More than half a million South Carolinians were suddenly unable to buy groceries for November.
Overnight, there were twice as many people at Greenville charities and food pantries. This surge in demand pushed these organizations to the front lines of a food crisis.
The average monthly benefit is about $190 per person, say authorities. The loss of these funds strained household budgets and local grocery spending. In November $104 million was absent from the SC economy.
South Carolina officials scrambled to use state funds to fill the gap, but federal rules complicated the challenge.
