Local tribes are taking action as federal food-aid benefits pause.
Tribal leaders with the Spirit Lake Tribe and Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa told The North Dakota Monitor that the federal SNAP funding lapse is forcing them to develop emergency food and fuel assistance programs.
The tribes have tapped grant funds from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and are expanding community food banks, home-heating aid, and delivery services for elders in remote areas. The tribes have pledged over $1 million in local funding assistance during the lapse, and said they do not expect the Trump Administration to reimburse them once the government is open.
Officials told The Monitor that they remain concerned that without stable federal support, the programs may strain this winter’s tribal budgets and cause even more severe issues in the coming months.
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