Shutdown Impact Coming to Memphis

The federal government has been shut down for over one month and could become the longest shut-down in history if it continues through Wednesday, Nov. 5th. Memphis and Shelby County are being hit particularly hard as low-income households have not received expected November funds through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP helps 20 million low-income households across the United States purchase food.

Nearly 20% of Shelby County households will struggle to afford food until the shut-down ends or emergency funding is provided in the meantime. In this update, we discuss the impact of the government shutdown on federal employee pay, SNAP benefits, and healthcare premiums in Memphis and Shelby County.