The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services is giving an update to food benefits recipients because of the partial federal government shutdown and its effect on assistance distribution. Tuesday, January 15, 2019, is the deadline for completion of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cases for early issuance. Applicants who are approved after January 15 and before January 30 will receive their benefits for January and February on their EBT cards by January 31. Most customers of SNAP, which is administered nationally by the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, will receive their February SNAP benefits in January because of the partial shutdown. February assistance benefits for these customers will be loaded to customer accounts/EBT cards by Sunday, January 20, 2019. Customers can use these funds immediately at any authorized retailer but they will not receive more benefits for February.