Governor Tony Evers is warning that Wisconsin’s Food Share program; which provides food assistance to families, kids, and seniors, could run out of funding within 10 days due to the ongoing federal government shutdown in Washington, D.C. The Trump Administration notified Wisconsin that there’s not enough funding to cover November SNAP benefits, impacting roughly 42 million Americans nationwide. States have been directed to delay processing payments until further notice. Evers says that puts nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites at risk of losing access to basic food and groceries if the shutdown continues.  The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says FoodShare benefits are funded through October, but payments for November will be delayed or possibly halted until the federal shutdown ends. Members are being urged to stock up on non-perishable foods before the end of the month and to keep contact information updated on the ACCESS website or app for the latest updates. While Food Share faces an immediate threat, other programs like WIC; which supports women, infants, and children, remain funded for now. Medicaid and BadgerCare Plus coverage also continue without interruption.

Anyone in need of additional food or infant formula can contact 211 Wisconsin for help. That’s by dialing 2-1-1, visiting 211wisconsin.communityos.org, or texting your ZIP code to 898211 for local referrals.

Evers is encouraging Wisconsinites to contact their congressional representatives and urge action to end the shutdown and restore funding for essential programs.