NEWMAN, Ill. (WCIA) -- Halloween may be centered around children getting candy, but almost a month into the government shutdown, one Central Illinois city is thinking about families this holiday.
The City of Newman is asking people to pass out non-perishable items to trick-or-treaters.
“When you serve another person, that's a way that you can say I see you and I care about you,” Councilman Sean Mixson said.
His daughters, Kyrie and Katrina, thought of the idea to give away food because of the delay of SNAP benefits. Foods like ramen noodles, pudding, rice, beans, boxed macaroni and cheese are some things at the top of the list this Halloween.
This isn't the first time the city has done this. At its trunk-or-treat event, people gave canned food items away earlier this month. Mayor Denni

WCIA
Local News in Illinois
WVLT
Raw Story
Associated Press US News
Associated Press US and World News Video
CBS News Politics
AlterNet
Daily Voice
The Hill