ST. PAUL, Minn. – Some Minnesotans, particularly “able-bodied” adults ages 50 to 54 without children, could lose SNAP benefits under the debt-ceiling deal, if they don’t meet new work requirements.
Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter addressed whether the state could assist in those cases.
“We don’t have a state program, necessarily, that would jump into the gap left by SNAP benefits,” Schowalter said.
Schowalter said, during the pandemic, Minnesota received permission from the federal government to provide extra SNAP benefits, but that ended in March.
Zach Rodvold with Second Harvest Heartland food bank said 2023 is outpacing last year, which was a record year for food insecurity. And he said it’s a disproportionately a rural issue:
“More than half of people in Minnesota who are food-insecure live outside of the seven-county metro area, even though Greater Minnesota represents less than half of the state’s population,” Rodvold said.
Those who need help accessing food resources in their area should contact the Food Helpline at 1-888-711-1151.
