Food aid secure now, risks rise if shutdown continues

A federal program that provides food assistance to 40 million low-income people could be at risk in November if the government shutdown isn’t resolved by then.

- AGENCIES

And in at least some places, new applications for the program are not being approved.

But there's still a lot of uncertainty about the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, known as SNAP or food stamps, a vestige of a previous incarnation of food aid.

Here’s a look at where things stand.

The food aid program benefits 1 in 8 people in the US

SNAP is a major piece of the nation’s social safety net, touching nearly 1 in 8 people in the country each month. They receive benefits on prepaid cards that they can use for groceries.

The other big pieces of the safety net — Social Security and Medicaid — are expected to continue paying benefits during the shutdown.

But because of the way it's funded, SNAP is vulnerable.