Dottie Meyer, director of Clermont County Job & Family Services, told the Board of Commissioners on Nov. 12 that county residents have not yet received the SNAP benefit amounts that a federal district court ordered restored, and that Ohio is awaiting guidance after higher-court action paused that order.

“That money has not been added to the local residents of Clermont County on their cards,” Meyer said, describing a confusing federal timeline that included a district-court directive, a temporary U.S. Supreme Court pause and state-level uncertainty. She said Ohio officials have discussed the possibility of issuing a partial payment—about 65% as suggested in prior guidance—but the state is awaiting clear instruction and possible legislative action before distributing those funds.

Meyer outlined the timeline affecting benefits: SNAP issuances paused during the federal government shutdown beginning Nov. 1–2; a district court in Rhode Island directed full benefit issuance on Nov. 6; Ohio announced a plan Nov. 7; the U.S. Supreme Court issued a temporary hold on full benefit release Nov. 8 and extended that pause Nov. 11. Meyer said local job-and-family-staff continue routine eligibility work so distributions can proceed quickly once state and federal guidance is resolved.

Paige Sheridan, the county’s OMJ program administrator coordinating pantry collaboration, described rapid local action. Sheridan said the county convened weekly meetings with local food pantries, completed a first distribution the week of the meeting and has lined up additional deliveries. “We collected over 13 boxes of food last week to give out to the local pantries,” Sheridan said, and the county is triaging donations to meet the most urgent needs while SNAP funding is uncertain.

County officials urged residents who need immediate assistance to check the job-and-family-services website and phone lines for up-to-date resource lists. Meyer and Sheridan said pantries and county staff will continue coordination even after SNAP receipts resume, because inventories were strained by the run on pantry supplies.

Next steps: Meyer said county staff will continue to monitor state guidance and will implement distributions as soon as legally authorized; commissioners said they will watch federal and state developments closely.