SEATTLE — More than 930,000 Washington state residents are set to lose federal food assistance by November 1 as the ongoing government shutdown threatens to end SNAP benefits, leaving food banks scrambling to prepare for what officials are calling an "unprecedented" surge in demand.

The expiration of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits comes as 1 in 8 Americans relies on SNAP to purchase groceries each month. With no end to the government shutdown in sight, food assistance organizations across western Washington brace for a massive influx of people seeking help.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) website now displays a warning: "the well has run dry."

Thomas Reynolds, CEO of Northwest Harvest , described the situation as critical.

"This really feels lik

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