00:00In a room filled with shelves of food and grocery carts, this is where many families come when the fridge is nearly empty.
00:06It's not a store, it's a pantry.
00:08And then you get to pick one more item on the table.
00:11It is a simple choice on the surface, but for families with SNAP benefits at $0, it means dinner.
00:17We have some shrimp, some crab legs.
00:21Our numbers had been up 30% because of the shutdown, but this past Saturday we served double the number of people.
00:29Heartland Hope Mission CEO Chelsea Salifu says fear of empty cabinets is what brought many families through their doors over the weekend.
00:37So that's how that works.
00:38We've had a lot of people coming in requesting rent assistance or utility assistance since they're not getting paid,
00:43and then people coming in because they're very concerned about losing SNAP benefits.
00:48Salifu says the shutdown is creating a ripple effect that hits families and the people who support them in Omaha and beyond.
00:55Someone that's furloughed or you have somebody who now has to go to work, but they're not getting paid.
00:59Well, they can't afford to pay for daycare now, right?
01:02So the daycare provider is not getting paid, or they're not sending their kid to daycare and they're staying home with them.
01:07And so now the daycare provider is impacted.
01:10The nonprofit is also keeping an eye on WIC.
01:13Some families have already reported misbenefits.
01:16The Trump administration says it's using untapped tariff revenue to fill the WIC fund.
01:20We don't know if that's impacting other people, but we have heard from clients that that's happening,
01:25and so we're still concerned about some of those things.
01:28As for SNAP, Treasury Secretary Scott Besson says those benefits could start up again as soon as Wednesday.
01:34SNAP helps nearly 42 million Americans buy groceries each month.
01:38Last week, two federal judges ruled the government must use emergency funds to keep payments moving during the shutdown.
01:45The USDA told a federal court Monday it will tap the $5.2 billion in available contingency funds for November,
01:53but it costs around $9 billion to fully fund SNAP each month.
01:57And families may not immediately get that money.
02:00Loading benefits onto cards can take up to two weeks in some states.
02:04In the meantime, states, cities, and food banks are stepping in to help hungry families.
02:09Food banks say they can't fill the gap on their own.
02:12For every meal pantries provide, SNAP typically covers nine.
02:16For people asking how to help, food banks and pantries say donations make the biggest impact right now.
02:22Do you want a chicken to go with it?
02:23Protein items, meats, we really need meats.
02:26Those have been in high demand.
02:28And then side items to make with your meal, mac and cheese, those types of things.
02:34Spaghetti and spaghetti sauce, things that are easy to cook.
02:36People can also give online, volunteer their time, or organize a food drive at a school, workplace, or church
02:43to support families in their community.
02:45As a bonus item.
02:46For Straight Arrow News, I'm Kaylee Carey.
02:48Read more on the government shutdown right now on the Straight Arrow News mobile app or head to san.com.
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