As the federal government shutdown continues, hundreds of thousands of New Jersey residents are expected to lose access to their SNAP benefits when the calendar changes to November.

The SNAP — or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — program is still referred to as food stamps. It is a federal program authorized by Congress as a way to provide low income Americans with more food and better nutrition. Program eligibility is based on household income, resources, and expenses for medical, shelter, and dependent care.

State officials are beginning to prepare for the program to be suspended.

As of August, New Jersey had 812,966 recipients from 436,452 households. There are 341,529 children enrolled.

About one in three of those people have disabilities and one in five are over 60 yea

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