Governor Josh Stein and Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt volunteer at local food bank
THANKSGIVING TRAVEL, EVEN IF
THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AND
SOON MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE
IN NORTH CAROLINA WHO USE SNAP
BENEFITS TO FEED THEIR
FAMILIES. WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT A
LITTLE LONGER TO GET THEIR
MONEY. THE U.S. SUPREME COURT
EXTENDED THE PAUSE ON FULL
FUNDING, WHICH MEANS MANY
FAMILIES WILL ONLY GET PARTIAL
PAYMENTS FOR NOW.
>> THIS EVENING, GOVERNOR JOSH
STEIN WENT TO A MAJOR FOOD BANK
IN RALEIGH TO TALK ABOUT THE
IMPACT OF THE SHUTDOWN ON OUR
STATE'S FAMILY. SPECIFICALLY
WRAL'S WILL LEAD AN ALI WAS
THERE AND JOINS US NOW LIVE
WILLI FOOD. BANKS REALLY ARE
STRETCHED THIN.
>> YES, THEY ARE REALLY IN A
JUST A COUPLE OF HOURS AGO,
GOVERNOR STEIN WAS INSIDE THIS
BUILDING, PACKAGING FOOD AND
RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE IMPACTED
BY THE ONGOING GOVERNMENT
SHUTDOWN. HE SAYS IT'S BEEN
EXTREMELY HARD FOR MILLIONS
OF PEOPLE. AND HE SPOKE ABOUT
WHAT HE'S DOING TO HELP.
>> THE GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR TAKING THE STAND
TONIGHT AGAINST THE LONGEST
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IN U.S.
HISTORY. HAVING HUNGRY
AMERICANS IS A CHOICE THAT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS MAKING.
THAT IS THE WRONG CHOICE.
THEY LEAD VOLUNTEER EFFORTS
PACKING FOOD TONIGHT AT THE
FOOD BANK. ACCORDING TO THE CEO
SINCE JANUARY, THEY'VE SEEN THE
NEED THAT THEY HAVE NOT
EXPERIENCED IN A GENERATION.
AND IT'S ONLY GETTING WORSE
SINCE THE SHUTDOWN. WE'VE SEEN
A DRASTIC INCREASE IN NEED FROM
BOTH FOR FEDERAL WORKERS WHO
ARE GOING WITHOUT PAYCHECKS.
AND NOW FROM THIS SNAP DELAYS.
>> WE ARE VERY HOPEFUL THAT
SNAP WILL BE REINSTATED IN FULL
BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE
TIME FOR PEOPLE TO CATCH UP
AFTER THESE DELAYS HAVE
HAPPENED IN RESPONSE TO THE
FREEZING OF SNAP BENEFITS.
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ALONGSIDE
PRIVATE PARTNERS PROVIDED
NEARLY 22 MILLION DOLLARS TO
NORTH CAROLINA FOOD BANKS.
TODAY HE PRESENTED THE FOOD
BANK OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN
NORTH CAROLINA WITH A 3.3
MILLION DOLLAR CHECK.
>> TO CONTINUE PROVIDING
RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE IN THE
AREA. I'M PLEASED THAT IT
APPEARS THAT WE'RE ON A GLIDE
PATH OF WASHINGTON WHERE THE
SNAP BENEFITS WILL BE.
>> FULLY HONORED. HOPEFULLY BY
THE END OF THIS WEEK. BUT
THAT'S WHY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE
THE FOOD BANK ARE CRITICAL IN
THEIR CRITICAL YEAR ROUND.
>> THE GOVERNOR ALSO SPOKE
ABOUT OTHER SYSTEMS THAT HAVE
BEEN IMPACTED BY THE SHUTDOWN
LIKE MEDICAID. HE SAYS HE WILL
BE BRINGING BACK THE
LEGISLATURE NEXT WEEK TO VOTE
ON A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT
WILL PROVIDE HEALTH CARE FOR
PEOPLE AROUND THE STATE.
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