PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Good news for EBT card holders: you won’t have your electronic benefit transfer cards shut down after the start of the month!
The Oregon Department of Human Services wanted to clear up some confusion that sparked among recipients concerning Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program funds.
Many were anxious that unspent benefits would disappear after November 1, but the state reassured those concerns are unfounded.
In a post on Facebook, the ODHS emphasized, “You can still use any SNAP benefits already loaded on your EBT card. If the federal shutdown drags on into November, the distribution of new SNAP benefits may get delayed. However, any remaining SNAP benefits from previous months will remain on your card until they are utilized or expire about a year after issuance.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture raised alarms last week about potential delays to November SNAP benefits should the federal government shutdown persist. Reflecting on the situation, Governor Tina Kotek labeled it a “cruel and unacceptable situation.”
Until this week, new federal policies have cut eligibility for many recipients, with those changes starting to take effect in mid-October.
According to a briefing on October 23 from ODHS, approximately 450,000 households in Oregon count on this program to help fill their grocery budgets.
Should the shutdown linger, the ODHS voiced that if the impasse resolves before November 1, they aim to coordinate with their vendors to keep benefits distribution as close to normal as possible. If the stall continues past that date, it all hinges on how rapidly the federal authorities react.
For now, EBT cards continue to function as expected, and applications for benefits remain open.
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