UPDATE: During the evening of Friday, October 24, the federal government provided additional information about FoodShare use during the federal shutdown. You may use any benefits currently on your QUEST card in November. To be clear, benefits that are already on your card will not be removed because of the shutdown and you can continue to use your current benefits to buy food during the shutdown.
ORIGINAL STORY:
MADISON — For Wisconsin residents enrolled in the state’s FoodShare program who likely won’t receive benefits in November because of the Federal government shutdown, things could be even worse.
Beginning next month, recipients could be locked out of their QUEST electronic benefits cards, even if they have a remaining balance.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, FoodShare benefits may not be available on QUEST cards to make purchases in November.
They go on to say this may include any money remaining on recipients cards at the end of October.
They encourage recipients to stock up on food items that don’t go bad – canned goods, boxed items, etc. – with their benefits before the end of October.
Foodshare benefits are 100 percent funded by the federal government, and the shutdown will need to end before members can begin getting benefits again.
Check back to the state’s FoodShare website HERE for updates as they become available.
