Potential government shutdown could leave 14K SD WIC recipients stranded

Sep. 28—The last time the federal government shut down was in 2018.

Now, another shutdown looms, as Sept. 30 is the lapse date for current federal appropriations. If U.S. lawmakers can't agree on spending by that time, a ripple effect could leave federal employees furloughed, halt permitting processes and stop Women, Infant and Children nutrition program recipients from getting their benefits.

In South Dakota, nearly 14,000 people take advantage of the WIC program.

If the federal government shuts down Oct. 1, USDA has assured that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will continue as normal. But WIC is not permitted to continue without federal funding.

"That benefit may be what has kept families out of food insecurity and not needing to utilize our program," said Stacey Andernacht, communications director for Feeding South Dakota. "If they don't have that, there's a chance that the individuals needing food will rise."

Feeding South Dakota saw a 20% increase in families visiting its mobile food distribution centers last year, but a 30% decrease in food that was donated, causing the organization to have to purchase food to fill the gap.

A government shutdown could worsen the existing food insecurity by shifting the burden to those already strained resources.

"Should there be a shutdown and more individuals start using our programs, I mean we will provide food, but it'll add to that challenge because now that gap has grown," Andernacht said.

While Feeding South Dakota doesn't employ federal workers, about 20% of the food it received last year was federally funded through the USDA.

"We've been told that any orders we had placed for food through that program that have been confirmed for delivery will still arrive, but we won't be able to place new orders until the shutdown is over," Andernacht said.

Andernacht said inflationary pressures have already made it more difficult for Feeding South Dakota to meet the needs of food-insecure people in the state.

When asked if the WIC recipients might be vulnerable during a government shutdown, the South Dakota Department of Health said not likely.

"During previous federal government shutdowns, South Dakota state government has continued to operate with very little disruption to the public," a South Dakota Department of Health spokesperson wrote. "We expect that to be the case in the event of any future shutdowns."

The longest U.S. federal government shutdown was in 2018, lasted 35 days, and affected about 800,000 federal employees and left about 380,000 of those indefinitely furloughed.

Rep. Dusty Johnson has said a government shutdown would be "stupid," and has been working with members of the Freedom Caucus to pass a bill that would give Congress another 30 days to make appropriations.

National parks, which are entirely federally funded and operated, may see significant closures during a shutdown.

The National Park Service

furloughed about 21,000 of its employees during the last shutdown

, and required about 3,000 of employees to continue working without pay for the duration of the shutdown.

Neither NPS or the Department of the Interior has disclosed how they will be navigating the impacts of a shutdown.

While some programs that run off of federal support are stalling, Head Start child care centers across the state of South Dakota should stay open.

Katie Sieverding, executive director of South Dakota's Head Start programs, said federally funded child care services would stay open through a government shutdown because the grants that fund those services and the reviews of those services have all already been distributed out.

Also, all personnel responsible for on-the-ground child care services

"Head Start staff, and employees of the individual centers and programs, are not government employees" Sieverding said.

Head Start regional staff, who are salaried with the federal government, will be furloughed, Sieverding said, but employees of the individual centers and programs will not see a change.

"It they're not essential employees then they would not be working during that time," Sieverding said. "Our programs, and the kids that we serve, wouldn't see an impact at the local level."

Andernacht said if an individual who is food insecure on WIC or not, can call the 211 Helpline. Food and hot meal services are available through the helpline, and for federal employees who have been furloughed, there are financial resources available to help with utility and rent payments.

"The Helpline Center is a great place to find that kind of one stop information, and if it's just food,

our website

has information on where to find our programs," Andernacht said.