The ongoing federal government shutdown is having effects on the Heart of Alabama Food Bank.

The Montgomery-based food bank serves 35 counties, distributing more than 33 million pounds of food last year alone.

It gets 30% of its food from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is part of the shutdown. Luckily, most of the other 70% comes from corporations such as Walmart and Publix.

In addition, the Alabama Department of Human Resources says it has been told that federal SNAP benefits will be suspended as of November 1 due to the government shutdown. SNAP, which stands for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, helps about 1 in 8 Americans buy groceries.

SNAP benefits are 100% federally funded. DHR says more than 750,000 Alabamians receive a total of $140 million in

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