Lowcountry Food Bank warns SNAP reductions could increase demand for emergency food aid

Nick Osborne, representing the Lowcountry Food Bank, told the committee on May 6 that federal SNAP changes under consideration will shift more administrative costs to states and could reduce participation, increasing demand for emergency food assistance.

Osborne summarized his recent editorial and said roughly one in 10 South Carolinians rely on SNAP; he said about 32,000 people in Charleston County participate. He told the committee the federal proposal could equate to about $186,000,000 in reduced benefits over the next 10 years (as presented) and that states will face higher administrative cost shares—Osborne said the federal share for administration is scheduled to be reduced from 50% to 75% state share on later implementation dates, and that depending on error-rate calculations states may be asked to carry up to 15% of benefit costs in 2027 under some scenarios.

"States will have to carry a significant burden of the cost of the administration and the actual cost of the benefit itself," Osborne said, warning that the food bank is already planning for increased client demand. He noted that participation has fallen recently—as he reported, statewide SNAP participation dropped roughly 10% from January 2025 to January 2026 in his cited data—and that earlier brief interruptions to benefits had produced marked spikes in demand for emergency assistance.

Committee members asked about state budget planning; Osborne said the state senate’s budget included a proposed $34,000,000 contribution to help cover administrative cost shifts but that the amount will not cover the full potential burden. The committee did not take formal action but discussed community coordination and tracking the policy’s local effects.

Why it matters: SNAP benefit changes affect food security, local economies and nonprofit operations; community providers say planning and contingency funding will be needed if benefits shrink or participation drops.

What's next: The Lowcountry Food Bank will continue planning for increased demand; committee members encouraged local coordination and monitoring of state budget actions.