TOLEDO, Ohio —

Food pantries across northwest Ohio are preparing for a surge of people ahead of Nov. 1, when SNAP benefits will be paused if the government shutdown continues.

Forty-two million Americans will lose access to food assistance. In Lucas County, that number is about 72,000.

" It has been incredibly challenging this year," said Lauren Bacans-Grounds, executive director of the Islamic Food Bank of Toledo.

Bacans-Grounds said they were already in a tough situation after t he federal government cut funding to many programs earlier this year to reduce spending.

She said the real impact of a SNAP pause could hit right before the holidays, an already busy time for many pantries.

" Folks are still going to have money on their benefit cards going into November. Once

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