Smiley: As Washington debates SNAP funding, city surging meals available in Providence

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — As Senate leaders debate a deal that could end the government shutdown in Washington, local leaders remain focused on the impact in Rhode Island, particularly in terms of food assistance.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said Monday the city has doubled the amount of meals available at recreation centers and community libraries in the city.

Anyone 18 or younger can get a free meal at any recreation center or community library in Providence.

That’s in addition to the meals students already receive during the day at school.

Smiley said you do not need any identification to get the meals if you live in the city.

The Associated Press reported Monday that the Trump administration is continuing its legal effort to keep full payments from the SNAP federal food aid program frozen during the government shutdown.

Trump administration lawyers are appealing previous rulings by lower courts to the Supreme Court.

The previous rulings, one by a judge in Rhode Island, would’ve forced the administration to continue SNAP payments during the shutdown.

It’s expected that an agreement to reopen the government currently being debated in the Senate would reimburse states for funds spent to load SNAP cards during the uncertainty of the past few weeks, and restore regular funding to the program, The Associated Press reported.

In Rhode Island, Gov. Dan McKee’s office said Saturday that full SNAP benefits were issued to the 79,000 households in Rhode Island that use the program.

The benefits were accessible on residents’ EBT cards, McKee’s office said.

In Providence, Smiley said the city went through its budget to find unspent line items or money that could be made available to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. He said the city sent supplemental funding to the food bank, as did the state.

“Between surging cash to Rhode Island [Community] Food Bank, making meals available to our residents, and pursuing this case in court, we have done literally everything we could do,” Smiley said in an interview with ABC6 News Monday.

Smiley said he’s hopeful federal leaders come to a resolution on the shutdown soon.

If there is a resolution that results in fewer people using the resources being made available, such as the free meals, the city would buy fewer of them, Smiley said.

For now, though, Smiley’s message is that there are plenty of meals available and that nobody who shows up at a recreation center or community library will be denied a meal.

As for the debate in Democratic circles about the Senate deal that could allow the government to open, Smiley said he’d rather see less party infighting and more unity in calling out President Donald Trump.

“This is the time for us to be focusing our attention where it belongs, which is that the President and the Senate and the House are all Republicans,” Smiley said. “They have the tools to reopen the government, to ensure that health care premiums don’t double or triple, and to ensure that vital food aid gets to where it needs to go. I’m not interested in criticizing members of my own party. I’m interested in holding those accountable who are actually accountable.”

Trump has repeatedly blamed Democrats for the shutdown.

In a social media post Sunday morning, Trump said: “I am sorry that the American People are being terrorized by Democrats who have decided to shut the Government down to make me and other Republicans continue ObamaCare subsidies, which have been a windfall for Health Insurance Companies, and a DISASTER for the American People.”

A list of the locations providing free meals in Providence is available on the city’s website.