By Elizah Lourdes Rendorio

In the basement of Beacon United Methodist Church, a grocery bag hangs from the walker of 87-year-old Helen Sangin as she chats with other Filipino seniors waiting to receive their biweekly food donations.

Sangin, along with the more than 150 seniors who attend the IDIC Filipino Senior and Family Services Center, relies heavily on the center’s food pantry as benefits from federal food assistance programs dwindle due to the federal government shutdown.

The federal government shutdown has halted funding for the Supplemental Food Assistance program (SNAP), also known as the Basic Food program in Washington state. According to the Washington Department of Social and Health Services, the department will be unable to issue food benefits by the start of November, for

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