New SNAP work requirements to take effect in Dec., will impact tens of thousands in NC

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- New work requirements affecting tens of thousands of North Carolinians will take effect for SNAP next month.

Starting in December, many SNAP recipients will need to work, volunteer, or participate in job training for at least 80 hours a month to maintain their benefits. While work requirements are already in place, changes signed into law by President Trump this summer will expand these requirements to include individuals aged 55 to 64 and parents without children under 14.

"It's disingenuous to say that people who are on SNAP are not working and could be. There's an incredibly small number of able bodied adults without dependents," said Jason Kanawati Stephany with the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC.

Kanawati Stephany told ABC11 he doesn't believe the changes to work requirements are necessary as roughly 85% of North Carolinians receiving SNAP benefits are already eligible for exempted reasons.

"Whether we're talking about children, seniors, people with disabilities, veterans in our communities, that makes up four out of every five households that receive SNAP support. And of that remaining number almost all are reporting income to the IRS. So we're talking about families who, if they can work, people are working," he said.

According to the NCDHHS, the changes could impact as many as 90,000 SNAP participants across NC, which could usher in more food insecurity concerns following the government shutdown.

"You're talking about thousands of people throughout our region who are no longer going to have access to the support that they need to feed their families if they cannot find that good paying job that covers that rising cost of living in a very short timeline," said Kanawati Stephany.

The NCDHHS has called on federal officials to safeguard the SNAP program:

"Eliminating the SNAP program would mean people have less to spend at NC's 9,200 SNAP retailers, which would hurt farmers, the larger food distribution pipeline, and local economies overall, especially in rural areas and small towns."

Federal officials have raised concerns about fraud and waste in the SNAP program, stating they are working to address these issues. The Agriculture Department has suggested everyone enrolled in the program should have to reapply in the future.