There is concern in the local community regarding federally funded programs.

The good news is the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, SNAP, and section 8 are covered through February. The bad news is that if the shutdown continues into March, there is no guarantee that there will be full funding for both.

Food and shelter. Two things everyone needs. Many local residents rely on assistance from the federal government for both.

The shut down is cause for concern because that means those benefits could be put on hold.

Chairman of the Hawaii Housing Authority Pono Shim said they provide 2400 families with Section 8 funding for rent in Hawaii.

“They did release funding all over the country Through the end of February,” said Shim.

KHON: “And then what happens after that?”

“I guess everyone else is at the mercy of what happens in the shutdown,” replied Shim.

He said roughly $2.6 million is allocated each month for public housing.

“It’s a significant amount…we have just a little over $2 million in reserves, but we really do need the government to open up,” Shim said.

KHON: “What could this mean for those families if funding is stopped or the Hawaii Housing Authority is unable to work with the landlord?”

“People could lose their homes.This is not good at all,” said Shim.

The bigger issue across the State is SNAP.

They provide between 161,000 and 165,000 individuals statewide with food stamps.

Director of the Department of Human Services Pankaj Bhanot said they also have funding for February.

But after that, there is no guarantee if the shutdown continues.

“(SNAP) is 100% federally funded. So we would have to continuously monitor the situation and apprise the community and particularly our recipients of the possibilities of whether the benefits are going to be available or not,” Bhanot said.

Those impacted include children, disabled adults, single family households and the elderly.

“We are very, very hopeful that it will be uninterrupted service. We want to make sure that the food is on the table of our recipients and that is what we are continuously working on getting that done as we speak,” Bhanot said.

Ron Mizutani, President of the Hawaii Food Bank said they too are monitoring the situation.

“If SNAP runs out, I’ll be very concerned. Are we prepared for that? Absolutely not,” said Mizutani.

Hawaii Food Bank is ready to help federal workers who are currently being impacted by the shutdown.

“Including more than 2700 local workers, including as well as our US Coast Guard personnel. So that’s our concern right now, and we are focused on assisting their needs because this will be an issue that impacts families statewide,” Mizutani said.

“We will be there to respond no matter what. We will be watching (the shutdown) very closely but the longer the government shut down lasts it impacts more and more families every day.”

Resources for families in need of food can be found at http://www.hawaiifoodbank.org/govshutdown

Bhanot said that Mequest and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, TANF programs are not impacted by the shutdown. TANF has funding through June and Medicaid has funding through September.