(BOISE) – The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare announced it will delay food assistance benefits starting next month due to the federal government shutdown. The decision to pause the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, came at the request of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Federal funding for the program is projected to run out in two weeks if the shutdown continues.
Officials in Idaho confirmed that applications for SNAP will still be accepted, but residents should expect longer wait times at call centers and offices. The state agency plans to update its website with any changes to the program’s operations. The Department of Health and Welfare also clarified that benefits for the Women, Infants, and Children program, or WIC, are not affected by the pause.
