North Carolina Allocates $18M to Food Banks Amid SNAP Benefit Suspension

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein has announced a nearly $18 million investment to support local food banks amid the suspension of SNAP benefits for November by the USDA. The state is contributing $10 million, supplemented by $5 million from AmeriHealth Caritas and an accelerated $2.5 million from the David & Nicole Tepper Foundation, among other donations from corporate and community partners. This funding aims to address the urgent food insecurity faced by over 1.4 million North Carolinians relying on SNAP, especially in light of recent hardships like Hurricane Helene. Governor Stein emphasized the critical but temporary nature of this support and called for bipartisan action at the federal level to restore long-term food assistance stability. Local organizations, including MANNA FoodBank, praised the contributions as vital to meeting increased demand with compassion and care. The state also encourages residents to continue applying for benefits and seek local resources during this period of uncertainty.