More than 15,000 Butler County residents who relied on SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits in December 2018 will not see their typical distribution in February.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture told states to issue SNAP benefits for February by Jan. 18, according to a Jan. 14 notice on the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services' website.

Approximately $1.7 million in benefits is distributed to individuals each month in Butler County.

February payments were added to beneficiaries' EBT cards by Jan. 18, but this is the only payment beneficiaries will receive for February, regardless of when the government shutdown ends.

DHS Press Secretary Colin Day urged individuals who received their SNAP benefits early to keep in mind that these are their February benefits and they need to last until at least March — and maybe longer.

Recipients will not receive a payment on their regularly scheduled February payment date. The DHS has communicated with SNAP recipients to notify them of this change.

Lee Ann Hune, The Lighthouse Foundation food programs and client support administrator, said the food bank is preparing for a possible influx of people in need.

“We have been reaching out to do more food drives,” she said. “We have taken in more food, and we are anticipating more food bank recipients.”

This is an excerpt — read the full article in Wednesday's Butler Eagle.