North Dakota provides $1.5 million for food, federal aid programs

BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — North Dakota is using $1.5 million in Department of Health and Human Services general fund money to address food insecurity across the state exacerbated by the federal government shutdown.

The agency has granted $915,000 to the Great Plains Food Bank, which Gov. Kelly Armstrong said has gone to purchase more than 450,000 pounds of food that will start being distributed to an estimated 24,000 households.

The assistance comes as the government shutdown is expected to interrupt November benefits to those enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP. About 57,000 North Dakotans received almost $10 million from SNAP in September.

Armstrong said the grant cannot make up for this funding, but is as much as the state can offer right now.

“It gets food to communities quickly to meet increased demand on food pantries until the federal government reopens and SNAP is restored,” Armstrong said at a Thursday press conference at the North Dakota Capitol in Bismarck.

North Dakota officials said last week the state is unable to fund SNAP directly because it cannot load money onto people’s electronic payment cards.

Armstrong said the Department of Health and Human Services gave $915,000 because it was the amount the nonprofit asked for.

The Great Plains Food Bank distributes food to almost 200 partner food pantries across the state.

“With distribution centers in Fargo and here in Bismarck, and a fleet of trucks that are on the road every day, we’re able to move food efficiently to our network operating in large cities, rural communities and our tribal nations,” said Great Plains Food Bank Interim CEO Kate Molbert.

The nonprofit sent out a plea for donations earlier this week due to the pause in federal services.

Armstrong on Thursday announced that the Department of Health and Human Services is also setting aside $600,000 to support the federal Women, Infants and Children Program, which helps feed low-income new mothers and young children.

The program was originally expected to run out of money Nov. 10. The additional money will keep it fully funded through November, said Interim Health and Human Services Commissioner Pat Traynor.

Families with young children who qualify for federal programs like SNAP, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Medicaid automatically qualify for the Women, Infants and Children Program, Traynor said.

There’s also a senior nutrition program for those age 60 or older, he added. There are no income requirements for that program.

For more information about food assistance, visit hhs.nd.gov or greatplainsfoodbank.org.

People can also call the Health and Human Services Department at 701-328-1000.

Armstrong said the state doesn’t know at this time whether the federal government will reimburse it for any of the money.

He also said he’s not sure how the state will respond if the federal government is still shut down after November.

“We’re going to continue to hear where the needs are and see if there’s ways we can resource this,” he said. “But the answer is, we do not have unlimited funds in the state. We don’t have the infrastructure to replicate this stuff at the state level.”

North Dakota Monitor reporter Mary Steurer can be reached at msteurer@northdakotamonitor.com.