Texas Stores Told To Stop Helping SNAP Users During Shutdown

With the government shutdown still going on, SNAP recipients in Amarillo and across Texas have been restructuring everything with their food budgets in order to make sure they are able to put enough food on the table.

There have been many businesses that have stepped up and tried to help out during this time, and that has been extremely enlightening to see. However, it seems there are now roadblocks in place, making it hard for those businesses to help.

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Businesses Offer Discounted Or Free Food

Across Amarillo, we've seen the posts on social media about places offering special pricing on food items such as meat. Many others have personally offered to help in any way they can, coming out of their own pocket to help put food on the table.

That's the Amarillo way, helping our own survive. However, while the private individuals are free to do as they wish, businesses are now finding themselves a bit handcuffed in what they're allowed to do...and it's the government doing it.

USDA Threatens Those Businesses Trying To Help

There have been several grocery stores and food delivery apps that have offered discounts to those on SNAP/EBT/ A very kind gesture, and just the least they felt they could do to help those people out. They are fully aware that it's out of their control.

Now, the USDA has stepped in and started wagging a finger at them. They sent an email to those stores explaining how they weren't allowed to offer SNAP-specific discounts. Any discount had to be offered to everyone. It didn't mention any repercussions, but a couple of stores immediately stopped after receiving the email, which tells me there is definitely punishment associated with it.