Governor Kim Reynolds is asking for donations to food banks to help them once federal food benefits are cut off Saturday by the government shutdown.
Reynolds announced Thursday that the state would match donations up to one million dollars. “By making….a cash donation to the food bank that serves your area. You can help a family near you keep food on the table,” she says. “Better yet, your donation will go twice as far because the state will match it dollar for dollar. So a $25 donation becomes 50.”
The governor also clarified that the federal assistance known as SNAP that has already been paid out will not be cut off Saturday. “If there is a remaining balance on their SNAP card, the card will work and the balance can be used during November. If the government reopens during the month of November, SNAP users will receive their full November benefit at that time,” she says.
The leader of the Iowa National Guard, Major General Stephen Osborn, joined the governor to talk about their role in helping to distribute food. “We’re templating kind of our support of what we did during COVID, which was movement of food across the state from distribution centers to the food banks and then temporary or possibly to satellite locations. As well as warehouse management or helping them manage the food banks themselves, moving to food pallets those type things,” Osborn says. Osborn says guard members will be activated for any distribution missions, and they will ask for volunteers. Governor Reynolds says the state will pay the guard members who are activated.
Some democrats in other states are filing lawsuits to try to get the federal government to use contingency funds to pay SNAP benefits. “I think it’s ridiculous. I think it’s ridiculous and I think it’s a waste of time. I’m going to say it again. Pretty darn simple, five United States Senators, Democrats need to vote with 53 Republicans and open the government,” Reynolds says. “That’s what they need to do….the cost of the federal government is nine billion dollars. I think the contingency fund is six.. It doesn’t even cover a month.”
Reynolds says you can go to her website at governor.iowa.gov for a list of Iowa food banks by location and links to their websites where you can go and donate online.