Special food giveaways organized by Mobile County food banks will take place this week as families enrolled in federal food assistance programs wonder how they will afford their next meal in the ongoing government shutdown.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were suspended on Saturday, Nov. 1 after Congress failed to pass a budget to maintain government operations. Since then, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it will use $4.65 billion in contingency funds to cover half the costs of November’s usual distribution, and Gov. Kay Ivey issued $2 million in emergency funds to eight food banks across the state.

See Full Page