By Katarina Sostaric (Radio Iowa)

Governor Kim Reynolds has directed the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to convene regular meetings with food banks and pantries since federal food assistance for over 130,000 Iowa households will likely be delayed due to the government shutdown.

Federal officials already directed states not to issue SNAP benefits in November. Iowa food pantries and food banks are preparing for a spike in demand. “All of us are doing everything we can to meet the need, but…the charitable food system cannot fill this gap,” said Annette Hacker, chief communications and strategy officer for the Food Bank of Iowa. “For every meal the charitable food system provides, SNAP provides nine.”

Kathy Underhill is CEO of the Des Moines Area Religious Council, which runs a network of 14 food pantries. “November is always the busiest month in the food bank and food pantry world,” she said, “and if SNAP benefits do not go out on time in November, the capacity of food banks and food pantries will be pushed to their very limits.”

Governor Reynolds, in a news release issued this morning, said she’s reviewing the food insecurity response plan the state developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March of 2020, Reynolds appointed a Feeding Iowans Task Force after tens of thousands of Iowans were furloughed, laid off or saw a significant drop in their income. “If the Democrats would pass a clean CR, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation,” Reynolds said during a news conference earlier this week. “They need to come to the table and they need to pass a clean Continuing Resolution.”

Republicans in the U.S. House passed a Continuing Resolution last month that extended current federal spending plans through November 21. The legislation needs 60 votes to pass the U.S. Senate and Democrats in the Senate are pressing to add an extension of health care-related tax credits the package.