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Due to the ongoing government shutdown, nearly 42 million Americans woke up on November 1 unsure of whether they were going to be able to feed their families this month. Funding for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), which about 72,000 people in Lucas County alone rely on, ran out and the federal government has not yet stepped in to continue it.
As the reality of losing SNAP benefits sunk in, state and city governments scrambled to offer some relief. During the last week of October, Toledo City Council voted to allocate $50,000 for SeaGate Food Bank for emergency funding. As of Nov. 3, the Trump administration had agreed to release funds to partially cover benefits for November, but those funds will be delayed. This leaves many families uncertain of how they will receive help…