News of Jefferson families not receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits on Nov. 1 as a result of the government shutdown caused Amy Gee, Jefferson School District ’s superintendent, to post an urgent plea on social media.

“We are calling on all those able to help us do a non-perishable food drive for our families directly affected by this impact,” Gee said in a Facebook message created Sept. 28. “As a district, we cannot fathom that children of ours will not be able to have groceries to come home to. This is our first priority above anything else. If basic needs aren’t met, learning cannot happen.”

SNAP is a federal program that provides food assistance to low-income individuals and families to help them purchase groceries.

According to the Green Book Report of Ke

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