After weeks of uncertainty left hundreds of Jefferson County residents scrambling for food aid, the state announced last week the restoration of full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November and beyond.
After issuing partial SNAP benefits on Nov. 9, Montana’s Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) said recipients would soon receive their remaining balance, with funds expected on Electronic Benefit Transfer cards as soon as Saturday, Nov. 15.
“Absolutely I was nervous,” said a local woman who receives SNAP and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits for her two children. “I have two kids, I have birthdays coming up, the holidays coming up, it’s been hard.”
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, received $220 in partial benefits last week. She said she had to reach out to family for help but still struggled to make ends meet.
“It’s a relief,” she said of the fully restored benefits.
The DPHHS’ move followed updated guidance to states from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service following the end of the federal government shutdown. SNAP provides food assistance to roughly 42 million Americans, including more than 77,000 Montanans and more than 700 Jefferson County residents.
In response to the SNAP crisis, the convenience store and gas station chain Town Pump last week announced an emergency grant that provided both the Jefferson County Food Share and the Whitehall Area Food Pantry with an additional $6,000.
“This is Montanans helping Montanans,” Bill McGladdery of the Town Pump Charitable Foundation said in a press release. “Town Pump recognizes the urgency to help out our neighbors now as food insecurity grows in this unforeseen emergency.”
The new grant is separate from Town Pump’s 24th annual matching campaign, in which JeffCo Food Share is eligible for up to $7500 in matching funds, up from $5000 in previous years. Through Nov. 30, Town Pump will match local donations until the $7500 target is met. In all, Town Pump plans to distribute more than $2.25 million across Montana this holiday season.
JeffCo Food Share is using the additional funds to fill Thanksgiving food boxes for families around the county. Unlike its regular monthly bags, the holiday boxes include turkey, cranberry sauce, potatoes and other traditional holiday foods. Food Share Treasurer Kelly Hert expressed gratitude to Town Pump and supportive locals for their generosity.
“The community feedback has been wonderful, they’ve really stepped up,” Hert said. “There aren’t enough thank yous in the world.”
JeffCo Food Share provided a lifeline for those who faced food insecurity during the disruption. President Priscilla Hedgecock said the all-volunteer organization, which offers food every second Thursday of the month from noon to 2 p.m at Boulder’s Life Church, distributed 45 bags on Nov. 13, serving 86 people, including 20 seniors and 23 residents under 18.
Local food assistance programs saw varied impacts during the SNAP pause. The Rocky Mountain Development Council’s Boulder location added four new participants to its Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) in November but saw no increase in its Meals on Wheels or congregate dining services for seniors, according to Mindy Diehl, senior nutrition and transportation program director. Through CSFP, participants receive regular allocations of free food every other month to supplement their own food purchases.
The SNAP disruption exposed vulnerabilities in U.S. food assistance. Conflicting court decisions and changing federal policies during the shutdown led to uneven benefit distribution, with more than 30 states providing partial or no benefits before the shutdown ended. While benefits have been restored, SNAP may face longer-term changes.
As of this month, adults aged 18 to 64 without disabilities must now work, volunteer, or participate in education or training programs for at least 80 hours monthly to receive more than three months of benefits over a three-year period. Federal estimates suggest the stricter work requirement could result in millions of Americans losing SNAP benefits.
Hedgecock, a former family and consumer sciences teacher for 40 years, dreams of one day having a larger facility where people could shop for themselves, rather than receiving pre-packed bags. She views the JeffCo Food Share’s work as a personal mission.
“No child should be hungry,” she said.
Donations to Jefferson County Food Share can be made at Town Pump locations or mailed to P.O. Box 244, Boulder, MT 59632. SNAP recipients are encouraged to check their EBT card balance by calling 1-866-850-1556 or visiting www.mybnft.com. For the latest Montana info on SNAP, visit https://dphhs.mt.gov/HCSD/SNAP.
