The Pima County Board of Supervisors felt the weight of the federal government shutdown on Tuesday as they considered several items that dealt with funding gaps for social services.
The board was tasked with whether to approve funding for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food and formula benefits, as well as emergency funding for local food banks and refugees.
The meeting was held while the federal shutdown entered its 35th day. It was the fourth day that the national food aid program faced disruptions.
The Trump administration said it will restart the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) using money from a U.S. Department of Agriculture contingency fund but will only pay out half the amount participants would normally receive. NPR reported that in a court filing, officials said depleting that fund means "no funds will remain for new SNAP applicants certified in November, disaster assistance, or as a cushion against the potential catastrophic consequences of shutting down SNAP entirely."
While suspending critical food benefits to pregnant women and children is alarming, suspending infant formula may prove devastating, particularly as infant formula is the only WIC food benefit that is not available at community food banks.
- Theresa Cullen, Pima County Health Department Director
Since Saturday, Nov. 1, SNAP benefits have not hit accounts as expected after the USDA, which administers SNAP, froze funding, citing the federal government shutdown.
Meanwhile, 4,398 infants depend on WIC in Pima County, according to health officials and are at risk for losing access to food and formula.
Theresa Cullen, the county’s health department director, requested the administrator Jan Lesher ask the board to foot the bill.
“While suspending critical food benefits to pregnant women and children is alarming, suspending infant formula may prove devastating, particularly as infant formula is the only WIC food benefit that is not available at community food banks,” Cullen wrote in an Oct. 17 memo to Lesher.
The Arizona Department of Health Services has enough money in reserves to pay WIC staff and provide food and formula through Monday, Nov. 10, according to the memo.
Cullen asked the board of supervisors to approve an intergovernmental agreement with the state health services department to provide nearly $400,000 to cover the costs for WIC through the month of November, the memo stated, with the risk that the state might not pay the county back.
ADHS stated that if they receive less than their full allotment of food dollars from the USDA, they will prioritize paying for the participant benefits before repaying money fronted by local WIC agencies during the shutdown, Cullen’s memo said.
“It’s not just about emergency funding… It’s about who we are as a government,” said Supervisor Andrés Cano. “We have both a moral and an economic responsibility to act because when infants go hungry, the costs ripple across our entire community.”
Supervisor Steve Christy cited a Grand Canyon Institute report published in October, which calls for Arizona to pull from its surplus revenue or its stabilization fund to fill gaps that SNAP faces in the state during the shutdown.
The shutdown compromised benefits for nearly 7 million low-income Americans who are pregnant, breastfeeding or who have children under age 5 who receive food, nutrition counseling and other support through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC.
Reuters reported that the Trump administration made $450 million in tariff revenue available for the WIC program imperiled by the federal government shutdown on Monday, according to federal funding records. .
The board voted 4-1 to approve the money for WIC services, with Christy dissenting.
Money for SNAP benefits and refugees were another matter.
Food banks continue feeling brunt of SNAP benefits stalling
Earlier this year, the USDA cut off food donations that covered about 25% of the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona’’s supplies, in connection with budget cuts rolled out by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
While the USDA’s previous support for the Community Food Bank amounted to a quarter of its donations, programs where the agency supported local farmers through pre-planned purchases were cut.
In recent weeks, food banks have seen a jump in regional needs, in light of furloughs and SNAP benefits being stalled.
"We're seeing a lot of federal employees that are coming in to our food bank, stating that we've never had to use your food bank before,” said Carlos Valles, executive director of Marana and Sahuarita Food Banks
The impact extends beyond federal workers. Claudio Rodriguez from the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona explained critical changes affecting vulnerable populations.
"We have veterans who have been exempt from SNAP benefits as of July 4... Now they have to meet new work requirements,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez noted that average SNAP recipients receive only $150 monthly.
"We ask people to donate, volunteer, show up for community," Rodriguez said, adding that cash donations are most effective, with each dollar potentially multiplying three-fold through bulk purchasing.
Supervisors hesitate to commit funds
Lesher told the supervisors during the Tuesday board meeting that approving the request would completely drain the county’s rainy day fund for the rest of the fiscal year.
Supervisor Cano noted the county has already previously allocated $433,000 to Community Food Bank and $242,000 to Sahuarita and Marana food banks.
"I do not believe no action is sufficient," Cano stated, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach involving private sector and community partners.
The supervisors delayed a vote on allocating emergency funds to community food banks and a local refugee resettlement agency in the wake of federal funding cuts.
“We simply are not going to have the capacity as Pima County, or any of our local governments, to fill the gap of need that may be created by the lack of some of the funding that we're seeing,” Lesher said.
The board voted 4-1 for staff to assess the multitude of emergency funding requests coming to the county–with Supervisor Matt Heinz dissenting. Chair Scott said the delay would offer time for the board to come back with recommendations on how to best use their limited emergency funds.
"What I think we need is some process for a discussion of when the county can provide support and how that will happen," Scott said.
