Fraying ‘Safety Net’ for vulnerable Clallam County residents

By Tina Tyler

Image credit: United States Department of Agriculture, via Wikipedia

News on the government shutdown has centered around the Trump Administration’s suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during the shutdown. But SNAP is only one of many federal-supported programs that comprise the ‘safety net’ for many low-income families.  

In 2024, 1,483 residents in Clallam County were served by the Washington State Women, Infants, Children nutrition program (WIC). SNAP is a USDA general food assistance program for low-income individuals, while WIC is a USDA-targeted program for pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants, and children under five years old. SNAP allows for the purchase of a wide variety of foods using a monthly benefit amount, whereas WIC provides specific food items and brands, along with nutrition counseling, to those who meet both income and nutritional risk criteria. It is possible to use both programs. WIC offices in Clallam County remain open, and benefits are still available, but the program is being monitored for future impacts as local agencies run out of federal funds to pay staff. [Source: WIC Data by County - Federal Fiscal Year 2024] 

​For people who have never needed to use these programs, it may be hard to understand how just the delay or suspension of benefits can throw a family in need into a family in crisis. According to Fran Howell, President of the Board for the Port Angeles Food Bank, some parents end up not feeding themselves so they can feed their children. She says that many of the people who use the Food Bank are working fulltime or holding down two jobs and still struggling to pay all the bills. If SNAP or WIC benefits are not paid, then people face terrible choices such as whether to forgo bills for things like childcare or rent or utilities in order to buy food. Even when benefits are restored, the gap sets up a domino effect that has families feeling like they will never catch up.

​According to Andra Smith, Executive Director at the Sequim Food Bank, “What I’ve found so far is that approximately 20 percent to 25 percent of residents in Clallam County are on SNAP.” Smith was quoted in an article in The Peninsula Daily News on Aug. 9, 2025.  She continued, “That’s money that people were spending in our local grocery stores and farmers markets on food, so it’s going to cause an economic impact on our community as well.” Fran Howell agreed, saying that, normally, there are $3 million/month in SNAP benefits coming to Clallam and Jefferson County residents. 

Even if benefits were not suspended, other factors such as spiraling prices and wages failing to keep up with inflation have put increased pressure on food banks. That shows in the number of visits that households made to the Port Angeles Food Bank in 2024. A household can be an individual or a family. There were 45,000 household visits in 2024, up from 10,000 visits in 2017. During the anxiety-filled weeks before the shutdown, about 200 new households signed up for help from the PA Food Bank, an all-time record. To ensure sustainability, the organization has had to limit the number of visits per week so there is enough food for everyone. 

Washington State is stepping up, with Governor Ferguson providing support to combat food insecurity by directing $2.2 million per week to Washington's food banks to help mitigate the loss of federal SNAP benefits due to the government shutdown. Fran Howell said details are being hammered out, but it's possible up to $50,000 may come to the North Olympic Peninsula, to be divvied up between Clallam and Jefferson County food banks.

SNAP and WIC are not the only programs affected. Federally funded energy assistance programs include the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ LIHEAP provides direct financial aid for heating, cooling, and energy crises, while WAP helps low-income households improve energy efficiency through home improvements. An estimated $382,067 in LIHEAP funds was allocated to the Clallam County Cooperative Association in fiscal year 2024. LIHEAP funding has been suspended nationwide and benefits are being delayed due to the long government shutdown. 

Head Start, a federally funded, free program for children from birth to age 5 from low-income families to prepare them for school and life, is also affected, with some programs already closing and thousands of children at risk of losing services. Families will lose access to affordable early education and childcare, which forces parents to go on unemployment or seek other public assistance, as they are unable to go to work without childcare. [Source: WA Head Start closures leave thousands of families without childcare – KIRO 7 News Seattle].

The stress of food insecurity and loss of these safety nets can also be a factor in an increase in domestic violence. Healthy Families of Clallam County, which offers services to child and adult survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and other crimes has seen a recent rise in requests for help. Many of these survivors are starting over with very little or nothing.

No one knows how long the longstanding federal programs that fund these safety nets will be suspended or if they will even survive in the future. States, counties and cities will be challenged to figure out how they can meet the needs of an increasing number of people.

How Can You Help? 

Food Bank: 

1. Monthly donation: Setting up a monthly donation to the Food Bank provides a steady income that supports sustainability and allows the Food Bank to buy in bulk at discount prices. Go online to your local Food Bank to contribute once, or to set up a monthly donation.
2. Donate or promote food drives: These donations help by making a variety of food available at Food Banks that might not be offered in bulk buys. This is especially important during holidays by supplying  items which are not usually bought in bulk, such as pie crusts, pumpkin or apple pie filling, and cranberry sauce. 

Healthy Families of Clallam County: Go to their website or office to find out how you can help through donations of money or supplies. Adopt a family for the holidays or longer. 

Clallam PUD: Pay it forward to help with utility bills. Go online at Clallam PUD to see what programs are offered to receive or give help, or contact OlyCAP at https://olycap.org/energy-assistance