D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser's office announced the District will pick up the tab for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits for D.C. residents if the government shutdown continues.

D.C. will fund SNAP for the month of November if necessary.

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About 85,000 households and 141,000 residents receive food assistance through SNAP in D.C. The average cost is about $314 per month per household. That means it will cost D.C. $29 million to cover the benefits.

SNAP benefits are set to lapse Saturday.

SNAP benefits, which are distributed from the federal government to states each month, were administered through October because the funds for them were allocated before the shutdown began Oct. 1, NBC News h

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