PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - With SNAP benefits on the line for hundreds of thousands of Oregonians, Portland-area food pantries are bracing for a sudden spike in demand.

On Nov. 1, approximately 757,000 Oregonians, about one in six residents, could lose SNAP benefits if the federal government shutdown continues.

Stephanie Barr, executive director of Lift Urban Portland (LIFT UP) in Northwest Portland, said the calls have already started coming in from people who don’t know how they’ll feed their families if the cuts go through.

“I don’t think our community understands the level of hurt our neighbors are going to experience, and they’re going to witness that directly,” Barr said.

A banner on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website reads, “The well has run dry.” The agency says it does

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