The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) has received notice from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services that if the federal government shutdown continues into November, there will not be enough funds to pay November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
November’s SNAP benefits are at risk and may be unavailable if the shutdown continues.
Current SNAP recipients should continue to use their benefits as usual for now. Recipients are encouraged to keep their contact information up-to-date so they can receive important messages about their cases.
Otter Tail County continues to accept SNAP applications and will be processing them, allowing the county to queue applications for when the shutdown has ended.
Additional food resources are available through local food shelves, United Way, and Ruby’s Pantry for families who may need assistance during this uncertain period.
Changes are happening rapidly. To stay informed about the federal shutdown and its impacts on county services, please visit: dcyf.mn.gov/federal-shutdown or ottertailcounty.gov/
Congressional Contact Information
Residents who wish to reach out to their Congressional representatives may use the following contact information:
Office of Senator Amy Klobuchar
Phone: 202-228-2186
Toll Free: 1-888-224-9043
Office of Senator Tina Smith
Phone: 202-224-5641
Office of Representative Michelle Fischbach
Phone: 202-225-2165