In an effort to help seniors who will lose their benefits to a food assistance program during the government shutdown, Meals on Wheels South Florida is launching a new initiative.
As the government shutdown nears the one-month mark, on Friday, funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP will run out.
The Trump administration rejected more than $5 billion in contingency funds to keep SNAP flowing into November.
Meals on Wheels’ initiative, the Senior SNAP Relief Program, will continue to provide nutritious meals to seniors who are losing their SNAP benefits.
The relief program will provide eligible seniors with the following:
Four weeks of meals
Two deliveries that will have 14 dinners and 14 shelf-stable breakfast boxes.
To qualify, Meals on Wheels said applicants must meet the same conditions as the regular Meals on Wheels South Florida program.
They must also provide documentation that confirms they previously received SNAP benefits.
“We recognize the significant impact the SNAP cuts will have on many of our most vulnerable senior neighbors,” said Wendy Bourgault, Executive Director of Meals on Wheels South Florida. “Our goal with Senior Snap Relief is to provide immediate assistance to help our seniors continue to receive the nutrition they need while they navigate this challenging time.”
In Florida, about 1.15 million of Florida households received SNAP benefits in 2023, which is 13.5% of Florida households.
Hamilton County in Florida received the highest proportion of SNAP benefits, at 32.4% of households.
The following table includes the number of households on SNAP in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
CountyHouseholds on SNAPHouseholds below poverty levelMedian incomeMiami-Dade23.87%6.08%$68,694Broward13.99%12.91%$74,534Source: ACS
To see a full map of Florida, click here.
The relief program takes effect on Nov. 1, which is the same day SNAP benefits will be reduced.
For those interested in the program, click here.