BOZEMAN — The ongoing government shutdown has interrupted Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, affecting more than 2,400 people in Gallatin County.
As of today, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) website states that SNAP recipients should expect to see partial funds on their EBT card "in the coming weeks."
In the meantime, I-Ho's Korean Grill, a local Bozeman restaurant, is stepping in to help.
I-Ho’s owner Jin-Ju Jahns said the idea came from her father after learning about the disruption to those who receive SNAP benefits.
“He’s like, 'why don’t you offer a limited menu to people who need it while these benefits are disrupted?'”
Until benefits resume, I-Ho’s is offering a “Community Menu” — a free dining option available to anyone affected.
“It’s for anybody, no questions asked,” Jahns explained. “You can just come in and ask to see the community menu, and our staff will take care of you.”
Jahns said she’s continuing the legacy of her late mother, the restaurant’s founder, who believed in helping others.
“She loved being part of this community,” Jahns said. “She just believed that if you can do something to help your neighbor, you do it.”
The Community Menu, which features combo dishes reminiscent of I-Ho’s early food cart days in the late 1990s, will be available as long as SNAP benefits remain disrupted.
“We don’t know how long it’s going to be disrupted,” Jahns said. “So the menu is open and available for as long as that’s in question.”
Community Support Extends Beyond I-Ho's
Local group, Bozeman Tenants United, is also providing relief through its “We Feed Us” program. The initiative, which is in partnership with Town & Country Foods, offers food pickups and deliveries for members of the union.
“A lot of our people, because of this defunding of the food stamp program, are choosing between rent and food,” said Connie Howell, a leader with Bozeman Tenants United and a SNAP recipient herself. “If I’m making these decisions, I know other people are making these decisions too.”
The We Feed Us program will also remain available until SNAP benefits are restored.
