Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Thursday she will deploy Iowa National Guard members to assist with Iowa food banks and pantries and direct the state to match donations beginning Nov. 1 if the federal government does not reopen.
Benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, will not be distributed beginning in November if the federal government shutdown, which on Thursday reached 30 days, continues. As there does not seem to be a resolution in sight, charitable organizations are preparing to see a surge in demand in Iowa and across the country from families seeking food assistance.
While Iowa has not moved to provide state backing for SNAP benefits as some other states have considered, Reynolds announced the state will provide “interim support” for Iowa food banks and pantries if SNAP benefits end as expected.
These supports include plans to deploy Iowa National Guard members for active duty, conducting food distribution missions throughout the state, as well as planned meetings with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services and Volunteer Iowa to recruit and deploy volunteers “to support food assistance operations in communities across the state where help is needed.”
Additionally, Reynolds directed Iowa HHS to use existing state funds to match cash donations to the state’s six regional food banks up to $1 million, beginning Nov. 3, if the shutdown continues.
“Government plays an important role in supporting its citizens, but we each have a personal responsibility to care for the people in our communities, especially those in need,” Reynolds said in a statement. “That’s why the state will match up to $1 million in contributions made by Iowans for regional food banks across our state. Together, we can make an even bigger difference for our neighbors who need help during this time.”
A spokesperson for the Des Moines Area Religious Council said their organization was “grateful for the office of the governor’s work to create an emergency response for Iowans in need.”
“This increased collaboration and communication with Iowa HHS and agencies like DMARC is an important step to remove barriers for our neighbors as they navigate an incredibly difficult time,” Blake Willadsen, communications manager for DMARC said. “SNAP is our nation’s most effective tool for fighting hunger, and the loss of it this November will be felt especially hard by families, children, and seniors across our state.”
Food banks, pantries and other organizations said last week they expect to see “unprecedented” need across the state if SNAP benefits end, as the food assistance program serves roughly 270,000 Iowans each month. In addition to the state’s response, there have also been several private organizations pledging support for these entities in the coming week.
Local businesses including Big Grove Brewery and The Big Grove for Good Foundation have announced plans to donate a total of $12,000 to three Iowa food banks, Hy-Vee will donate $100,000 to food banks in its regions and Fareway and the Iowa Pork Producers Association are collaborating to donate $20,000 worth of pork to food banks across the state.
The three Medicaid managed care organizations in Iowa, Iowa Total Care, Molina Healthcare of Iowa, and Wellpoint Iowa, have also committed to donate $100,000 to support Iowa food banks, according to the governor’s news release.
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Advocates say the lapse of SNAP benefits will have major implications for Iowans in all aspects of life — including education. Iowa State Education Association President Joshua Brown said students who experience chronic food insecurity face greater challenges in learning and retaining information, and called on members of Congress to pass a “bipartisan funding bill that prioritizes the welfare of our citizens, especially our most vulnerable.”
“We are frustrated and disappointed, and we are here to demand change,” Brown said. “The Iowa congressional delegation and other elected leaders in Washington — this is your moral test, and you are currently failing. You are fighting over budget lines and political talking points while children are going to bed, worried about whether where their next meal is going to come from. You are treating the future of our children as a bargaining chip in a game of partisan politics.”
Members of Iowa’s all Republican federal delegation have supported measures to provide funding for SNAP if the shutdown continues. U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks introduced a bill Friday to let the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture access emergency funds to maintain SNAP operations during the shutdown.
On Monday, U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn toured the Food Bank of Iowa and called for Democrats to support the continuing resolution passed in the House — a short-term funding bill that does not include Democrats’ language on extending Affordable Care Act tax credits — in order to prevent SNAP benefits from being halted.
“This shutdown is threatening food on the table for hundreds of thousands of Iowa families—many of them kids, new moms, and seniors,” Nunn said in a statement. “We cannot expect Iowa food banks and families to pay for Washington’s dysfunction. I’m calling on Senate Democrats to set partisanship aside and pass our clean continuing resolution before we reach the funding cliff.”
But Democrats have criticized House Republicans for refusing to negotiate on the ACA enhanced tax credits and other issues. Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart criticized Iowa’s GOP House delegation for not working to reconvene and negotiate a deal with Democrats to reopen the government.
“The USDA has the money to feed hungry Iowans in November, but the Trump administration is refusing to release these funds,” Hart said in a statement. “Instead of working to ensure veterans, mothers, and children can access the food they need, Republicans are using people’s lives as leverage to continue playing political games. Iowa families should not have to worry about putting food on the table because of Washington gridlock. It’s time for Republicans to do their job and put people before politics.”