The St. Clair County Emergency Operations Center has been activated to help coordinate the community’s response to the ongoing uncertainty in federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, local officials announced on Monday, Nov. 3.
The activation follows days of collaboration among dozens of partner agencies under the St. Clair County Community Services Coordinating Body (CSCB), which is working to organize food resources, volunteer support and public communication as more than 22,000 county residents face disruption to their benefits.
“This is truly a whole-community response,” said Deb Johnson, CEO of St. Clair County Community Mental Health and chair of the CSCB. “We know that times like these require all of us — neighbors, agencies, and community partners — to come together. By working collaboratively, we can strengthen our collective response and better support those in need across St. Clair County.”
According to the CSCB, the EOC will help streamline logistics and ensure that local organizations —ranging from food pantries to social service providers — can distribute aid efficiently and respond to changing needs. The effort also extends to federal workers affected by the pause, who are encouraged to reach out for local assistance.
Officials said the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program is still fully funded through Nov. 24. Those currently enrolled will continue to receive benefits and new eligible clients can still apply.
Residents in need of food can find an up-to-date list of pantries, soup kitchens, blessing boxes and pop-up distribution sites at cscbinfo.org.
The CSCB is also urging community members to donate or volunteer to help meet rising demand.
The CSCB said it will continue updating its website and local partners as new resources become available.
Contact reporter Andy Jeffrey at ajeffrey@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: St. Clair County activates emergency center to coordinate response during SNAP uncertainty
Reporting by Andy Jeffrey, Port Huron Times Herald / Port Huron Times Herald
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