TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Friday marks the first time federal workers will miss a full paycheck.

Feeding Tampa Bay has been preparing for an influx of need from the community due to the continued government shutdown, potentially helping more people than ever.

Leaders at the non-profit say they prepared for a month in the event the shutdown continued, tailoring a unique program, hotline and webpage for federal employees to find resources to help beyond food assistance.

“So we’ve added extra hours, we’ve added extra staff, we’ve added extra volunteers because thousands right now are impacted,” said Shannon Oliviero with Feeding Tampa Bay.

Another potential problem on the horizon, states now warning residents the supplemental nutrition assistance program or SNAP benefits may be halted for Nove

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