(The Center Square) — Caddo Parish leaders are considering a $200,000 donation to the Northwest Louisiana Food Bank to help residents losing their full food stamps during the record-breaking government shutdown.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program paused on Nov. 1. According to a previous report by The Center Square, roughly 42 million people in the country are enrolled in it.
After a judge ruled this week that SNAP must be funded during the shutdown, the Trump administration said it will pay partial benefits. In Louisiana, Gov. Jeff Landry has announced a temporary program to provide benefits to some recipients in November.
The Caddo Commission on Monday voted 9-2 to advance an ordinance setting aside funding for the food bank. During the discussion, President Stormy Gage-Watts created a substitute motion to increase the originally proposed donation of $100,000 to $200,000.
In response, Commissioner John Atkins proposed an additional substitute to advance the original $100,000 and vote on the extra $100,000 in funding at December’s meeting. This failed to pass the commission.
Atkins and Commission Chris Kracman voted against amending the original dollar amount to $200,000.
The Commission plans to discuss the ordinance at its Thursday meeting.
“Hunger leads to crime, and inevitably those crimes that happen are going to be our responsibility in Caddo Parish,” said Gage-Watts. “This is not an issue that started here locally. But it is our responsibility to take action here locally because we are closest to the people.”
The parish’s Riverboat and Oil and Gas Funds would be used to pay for the donation.
