It may be a difficult holiday season for households that use federal or state benefits or services. The federal government is partially shut down and some state funding has stalled due to Harrisburg’s four-month-late budget.
The timing of court-ordered, partial Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits remains in doubt, and food banks and community fridges can only do so much. Some 160,000 Allegheny County residents use SNAP.
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is also delayed, and some area counties are cutting jobs and potentially services.
Pittsburgh’s Public Source wants to hear how threats to the social safety net are affecting you and your community.
Email ember@publicsource.org to share your story.
Unless you indicate otherwise, we may reach back to you for details and may publish responses, along with identifying information you choose to provide (but we will not share your contact information).