BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. —

One Blue Springs, Missouri, woman is swapping out candy for canned goods this Halloween.

As SNAP benefits remain in jeopardy and many families struggle to afford food, residents around the Kansas City metro are stepping up to help their neighbors. Advertisement

[ RESOURCES: Find Kansas City-area food banks during SNAP pause, government shutdown ]

Heather Hedenkamp is among those using Halloween as a way to help feed the community.

Hedenkamp is putting out canned goods, chips, boxed foods and other easy meal ingredients this year, inviting trick-or-treaters to take what they need.

She posted the idea on her neighborhood's Facebook page, and it took off.

"I'm my son's caregiver. He's an adult with autism, and he gets food stamps. And he will not, but we have a v

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