Gov. Andy Beshear signed an executive order Oct. 31 to send $5 million to Kentucky food banks as funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is set to expire Nov. 1, potentially impacting thousands in the commonwealth.
The announcement comes after Beshear sued the Trump administration alongside several states and other Democratic leaders in a push to stop the U.S. Department of Agriculture from failing to fund SNAP benefits due to the ongoing government shutdown. Federal judges in two separate cases, including the one Beshear was part of, ruled in favor of the demand for the program to be funded by other means as the shutdown continues.
“While the Trump administration said it couldn’t fund SNAP during the shutdown, two federal judges just said it can and should,” Beshear said in a news release. “It’s my job as Governor to stand up for Kentuckians, and I am thankful today’s rulings were in favor of helping the more than 40 million Americans and almost 600,000 Kentuckians — many of whom are children — access benefits that will provide them food and prevent hunger.”
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Beshear said he signed the order in case of any delay to restored benefits. The order directs the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management and the Office of the State Budget Director to properly transfer and allot funds from available sources to support the food banks during the lapse of SNAP funding, beginning with $5 million from the budget reserve trust fund.
The Cabinet for Health and Family Services will provide identified funds to Feeding Kentucky, a local network of seven food banks, including the Dare to Care Food Bank in Louisville. Beshear also has directed more than $12 million to temporarily support the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program in November, according to the release.
Team Kentucky will host a food drive at major state office buildings in November. Nonperishable food items will be collected until Nov. 21 and distributed throughout the commonwealth through Dare to Care, God’s Pantry and the Christian Appalachian Project.
Leo Bertucci contributed.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KY governor sends millions to KY food banks in wake of SNAP ruling
