Federal shutdown hits Kentucky tables; leaders scramble to feed seniors, families

Governor Andy Beshear announced Monday that his administration has re-allocated money to keep senior meal programs running.

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With the federal government shutdown dragging into its third week, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced Monday that his administration is shuffling $9.1 million to keep senior meals on the table and pledging state funds to temporarily cover federal assistance programs that have run dry.

The moves come as the 20-day shutdown begins hitting Kentucky families where it hurts most: their dinner plates.

"No Kentuckian should ever face hunger," Beshear said, explaining why his administration moved quickly to redirect funding after learning areas across the state reported they'd burned through their entire Senior Meals budget.

The $9.1 million is being pulled from a Medicaid appropriation that was sitting unused after the General Assembly never approved the proposal it was tied to. Beshear, who has the authority to transfer funds under House Bill 6, said legislative leadership has agreed to retroactively sign off on the move.

Before making the announcement public, the governor hopped on a call with Area Development District (ADD) leaders statewide to deliver the news personally. But he also made clear this is a band-aid, not a cure.

"Just like our Kentucky families, our state must work within a balanced budget," Beshear said, noting that Kentucky is staring down a potential $305 million budget shortfall, the end of one-time federal pandemic relief funds, and mounting costs from the federal shutdown.

To make sure senior meal funding doesn't crater again, the governor said he's asking the Finance Cabinet to conduct a full review of the program- looking at everything from cost-per-meal differences across ADDs to eligibility rules and whether funding is being used appropriately.

"While I am glad that we have found a temporary solution, our state faces real challenges," Beshear acknowledged.

November covered, December unknown

The shutdown's ripple effects extend beyond seniors. Beshear announced the state will temporarily cover the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program through November after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services failed to send Kentucky its usual funding.

"The federal shutdown is having real impacts across our country and our commonwealth," he said. "As a state, we're doing what we can to help cover the support our Kentucky families rely on."

But there's a catch: "While we are able to cover this for November, we cannot- at this time- make that assurance for December."

SNAP benefits in limbo

Perhaps most alarming for Kentucky families is what's happening with SNAP- the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps.

According to Beshear, more than 600,000 Kentuckians rely on SNAP benefits. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has prohibited funding for November SNAP benefits due to the shutdown, leaving one in eight Kentuckians- many of them children- in a precarious position.

"I know this is a scary and stressful time for our families," Beshear said, "and we are committed to processing benefits the moment the federal shutdown ends and funding becomes available."

For now, recipients can continue using their current benefits as normal and should watch for updates through the Department for Community Based Services website, their Self-Service Portal accounts, or official DCBS notifications.

It's a wait-and-see situation that offers little comfort as the shutdown clock keeps ticking and Kentucky's most vulnerable residents wonder where their next meal is coming from.

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