The delay in benefits is expected to happen if the government shutdown continues past Thursday, Oct. 23, which places the November and future benefits at risk.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Hundreds of thousands of families in San Diego County who rely on SNAP benefits may be impacted soon if the federal shutdown continues.

 Starting Tuesday, the County of San Diego will notify CalFresh recipients that November benefit payments may not be made locally and nationally due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. 

The delay in benefits is expected to happen if the shutdown continues past Thursday, Oct. 23, which places the November and future benefits at risk. Meanwhile, the October benefits have been deposited for all recipients, according to San Diego County. 

The announcement comes after guidance received from the California Department of Social Services late Monday. Based on the state guidance, the county is advising local CalFresh beneficiaries to prepare not to receive their benefits on their EBT card, starting Nov. 1. The county also said it will share updated information about CalFresh benefits as soon as it becomes available. 

In San Diego County, around 395,000 people in nearly 240,000 households receive CalFresh benefits. For families who may be impacted, there are local food resources, such as food banks and pantries, available. 

People can call 211 San Diego or visit the 211 San Diego webpage for more information about local food resources. Locations of the nearest food bank and pantries can be found here. Meanwhile, the San Diego Food Bank and Feeding San Diego were already grappling with potential federal funding cuts before the shutdown, according to a previous CBS 8 report. 

“San Diego has one of the highest concentrations of active duty military and federal workers in the nation,” San Diego Food Bank CEO Casey Castillo told CBS 8 earlier this month. “TSA workers, border patrol, Federal Bureau of Prisons, IRS, US Guard, and thousands of service members. Unfortunately, many of them are living paycheck to paycheck, so a furlough or being required to work without pay is going to provide immediate risk, and many will need to come to us for emergency food services.”

The San Diego Food Bank, which currently serves 400,000 people monthly, said this number is expected to increase by thousands, if not tens of thousands, depending on the duration of the shutdown.

For the latest updates, people can stay informed by checking the county’s CalFresh website and the BenefitsCal website.Â