WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The government shutdown hit day 29 on Wednesday. On Nov. 1, SNAP benefits are set to lapse.
WPTV listened to people in our area who will face the brunt of the impact if those benefits end.
WATCH: Nearly 3 million Floridians could potentially lose benefits
Reporter Tyler Hatfield spoke to Jason Chiquelin, who said he is on SNAP, and was waiting to get food at the food bank at the United Haitian Baptist Church.
Chiquelin could be one of the nearly 3 million Floridians to potentially lose their benefits come Nov. 1.
“It's a scary time,” said Chiquelin. “I've been stocking up, knowing that this was about to happen.”
WATCH: Florida Democrats urge DeSantis to declare food emergency
Hatfield also listened to Patricia Bullock, who told him she is homeless, but isn't receiving SNAP.
Bullock said with people potentially losing benefits, the lines at food banks like this could grow.
“The line could get longer,” said Bullock. “We may get less.”
Consumer
'We need help': Shutdown threatens SNAP benefits as food banks brace for crisis
WPTV found in Palm Beach County, since 2022, 64,176 households receive SNAP benefits, helping feed 162,053 people.
On the Treasure Coast, SNAP benefits assist 46,468 households, equaling 80,002 adults and children.
“There's people behind those numbers,” said Krysta Garofalo, chief strategy officer with the Treasure Coast Food Bank. “They're working and they're trying to put food on their table, and they do rely on that program to help with that.”
Garofalo said the extra weight from people losing benefits could put a strain on their operation.
“It's going to be very hard for us to make up that gap with the resources that we currently have,” said Garofalo.
