How are people going to be able to eat if things don't turn around in Washington?

As the government shutdown continues, news has been released indicating that many people who receive food stamp benefits, or SNAP, will suddenly no longer receive that support to help them feed themselves or their families. Here's what we know.

- Thera Martin

(Cover and above) The Allegheny West Foundation and its partners gathered in North Philadelphia in August for a Free Food Giveaway. In attendance were representatives from Councilperson Cindy Bass and Pennsylvania State Senator Sharif Street's office, NewCourtland, Blessings of Hope, the Share Food Program, Philabundance, and 4TheSeniors.com.

November is just days away, and there are actually millions of poor people in America, more white than Black, who depend on food stamps. They will lose food stamps, or that ACCESS Card, come November 1. Half the states across the country are planning to cut off benefits due to the government shutdown.

As lawmakers continue to fight over a budget and the government shutdown is now a month old, Nutrition programs like SNAP and other ones serving low-income mothers and infants have been caught in the crossfire. States are scrambling to maintain the programs using money from their own coffers and emergency funding from the Trump administration, but that pot is rapidly decreasing.

The administration would have to find more than $8 billion to keep SNAP barely above water if the shutdown continues.