As the prolonged U.S. government shutdown is set to lead to the November 1 suspension of food stamp benefits , the Los Angeles Unified School District is ramping up efforts to provide meals to students.

LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said at a Thursday news conference that supper meals will be made available to district students ages 1 through 18 at most district schools.

"The rumbling stomach of a child will prevent that child from learning. It is not humane; it is not compassionate, we will not stand by it," Carvalho said.

With more than 1 ½ million SNAP recipients in LA County, 217,000 district students depend on those benefits, according to Carvalho.

In the LAUSD school system, free breakfast and lunch are already offered to any student, but now the district is to make

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