DC Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) said Thursday that the city will fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the separate program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) for the month of November. government shutdown,
“We know that SNAP and WIC play a vital role in helping thousands of Washingtonians and millions of Americans put food on the table every month,” Bowser said in a statement. Thursday’s statement,
“We had hoped it wouldn’t get to this point — and we still need to reopen the federal government as soon as possible — but right now, we are moving forward to make sure we will take care of D.C. residents in November,” he said.
snap benefits Are set to lapse on Saturdays while WIC is only funded for the first week of November. According to the mayor’s office, 85,000 families in the district, including 141,000 individuals, rely on SNAP each month.
More than 12,500 Washingtonians in 8,300 households benefit from WIC.
Bowser plans to use $29 million to fund SNAP and $1.5 million for WIC during the shutdown.
The total $1 million allocated for WIC will include direct benefits, while $500,000 will include grants to nonprofits “and the personnel and non-personnel services necessary to carry out the program.”
Bowser’s office says the contingency fund will be replenished in his assigned budget DC Council for 2026.
