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Millions of low-income households will continue receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits through November and December, even if there is a federal government shutdown, U.S. Department of Agriculture officials said this week.
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Jacqueline Benitez is one of them. She earns about $1,300 a month working part-time as a preschool teacher in Los Angeles County. The 22-year-old also is a junior at California State University, Long Beach.
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Monthly rent for her Bellflower apartment recently jumped $200, she said, not leaving much for food. Now more than ever, Benitez said, her $88 monthly CalFresh benefit is essential. Eating properly helps her focus while studying and working with children.
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“With $88 I try to buy things that will last, like rice, pasta, popcorn chicken,” she said.
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“Without CalFresh benefits, I would be eating half a burger and leave the rest of it for tomorrow.”
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In prior threats of federal shutdowns, welfare benefits were guaranteed only through September, the end of the government’s fiscal year. A federal shutdown would risk more than 40 million people’s access to food and nutrition assistance programs nationwide.
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But Benitez and 4.8 million other Californians continued receiving CalFresh in October, thanks to a recent agreement by the USDA and the federal Office of Management and Budget.
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The agreement stemmed from a September class action lawsuit anti-poverty advocates filed in federal court in San Francisco which argued that since the federal government is always a month ahead in appropriating money for welfare payments, it could afford to keep those payments going at least until the end of October.
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“People’s access to food is not a game, but Congress is treating it like it is,” said Monika Lee, a spokesperson for the Western Center on Law and Poverty, one of the groups that filed the suit. “Every month will be a battle unless we can get this litigation to help.”
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President Joe Biden recently signed a compromise bill extending federal spending in general through November 17. As a result, welfare benefits will continue at least through December.
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Meanwhile in Bellflower, Benitez had worried she would be unable to afford three meals a day in November and December. This latest announcement means CalFresh will continue helping her to survive, she said.
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“Now I will be able to celebrate Christmas with my family and make sure I cook a nice meal for them,” said Benitez.
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