ASHEVILLE - The prolonged government shutdown has threatened to delay federal benefits distribution of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and may also disrupt the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, effective Nov. 1.

More than 29,000 Buncombe County residents were reported to be participating in the SNAP program as of April, and more than 4,600 people were participating in WIC, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Some Western North Carolina agencies have reported further food insecurity issues stemming from factors including Tropical Storm Helene and the recent state funding cut to the Medicaid program, the Healthy Opportunities Pilot , which concluded on June 30.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, year-ove

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