Lake County commissioners on Thursday approved an $8,000 one-time donation to Saint George Episcopal Mission to support expanded food distribution and temporary staffing while SNAP benefits are expected to be delayed for November.

The donation follows presentations from Melissa Early, pastor in residence at Saint George Episcopal Mission, and Laura Cruz, a county staff member who briefed the board on the local impact of the federal funding lapse. “We do anticipate increased costs,” Early said, describing a projected need for milk, eggs and cheese that the mission’s usual supplier does not provide. “Your $5,000 would be used pretty quickly, and it would be much appreciated.”

County staff told commissioners they have been advised by the state and federal partners that if Congress does not complete an appropriations bill this week, operational constraints make it unlikely November SNAP benefits will be loaded on recipients’ EBT cards in time. Cruz said the state’s heat map shows 502 SNAP recipients in Lake County and that last month’s SNAP issuance for the county was about $104,000.

The commission’s county manager, Candice Bryant, framed the $8,000 donation as a stopgap. She said Saint George estimated monthly needs for perishables could total nearly $16,000; the $8,000 was presented as a partial initial response with the possibility of revisiting support as circumstances evolve.

Commission discussion covered alternate ways residents and businesses could help—donating cash rather than canned goods so pantries can buy higher-value items, and directing hunters to programs that subsidize processing at USDA facilities. County staff said they will include donation links and QR codes to the church in county communications and that the state has already sent notices to SNAP recipients.

The motion was made and amended during the meeting and approved by the board. The board recorded affirmative votes; individual roll-call votes were not named in the meeting audio.

County staff and representatives from Saint George said they will stay in touch to track demand and to request further assistance if the need increases.