Inside Shaneisha Williams’s kitchen, there are more empty shelves than full ones.
The Wake County single mother said she is doing what she can to stretch this pantry and keep her three kids fed, as SNAP benefits have flatlined.
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“They're looking at me as a mother. What are you going to do for us, mama? How are you going to feed us?” Williams said. “I went into panic mode.”
How long that panic will last is an open question.
Monday, the Trump administration confirmed they’ll be using emergency funds to provide SNAP benefits for the month of November at 50% of the normal rate. The decision comes after a pair of judges ordered the administration to keep the program going amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.
While that money may now be coming, it’s not clear when it will arrive.
During Monday’s Wake County Board of Commissioners meeting, staff said they are expecting funds for November SNAP payments to be delayed.
The county is now leaning on partner organizations and searching for any spare funds they can find to keep the 80,000 Wake County residents who depend on SNAP fed.
At the same time, some of those partner organizations are warning that federal cuts and delays present an existential threat to their own work.
“We are at risk of losing community organizations that have kept Raleigh and Wake County strong for decades, said Ron Pringle, President and CEO of the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.
Back in Williams' kitchen, she said lawmakers need to figure out how to resolve their differences and keep SNAP fully funded. The 50% payment, she says, will only go so far.
“I'm spending my bill money. I'm spending my rent money, my lights money, my water money,” she continued.
During Monday’s meeting, Wake County officials encouraged anyone who needs to find emergency food to head to Wake County’s online food finder. Anyone interested in donating food or helping can also visit the Food Security portion of the Wake County website.