Jessica Bollinger, a single mother of two from McDowell County, spent Saturday poring over her family budget and trying to make the numbers work. On the third of each month, she usually receives $318 in federal food assistance to buy groceries.
But this month, as the federal shutdown continues, Bollinger and many North Carolinians are anxiously waiting — uncertain when, or if, those funds will arrive.
The delay has left a sizable gap in Bollinger’s food budget and caused mounting anxiety about how to keep her 14- and 5-year-old daughters fed.
“My biggest worry is keeping food on the table for my children,” Bollinger said. “Parents like me are doing everything we can to survive, and sometimes it becomes a daily struggle.”…