By Ethan Hartley

An ongoing national battle over the release of funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides around 145,000 low-income Rhode Islanders (and more than 5,250 East Providence residents) with money to purchase food each month, rages on, leaving food insecure individuals and families wondering what their next step, and next meal, could be.

But for those working at local nonprofit food assistance agencies, although the need stemming from the SNAP halt is already sizing up to be a serious problem, the next step for them is business as usual.

“We're here to do the work,” said Kate Mushipi, executive director of Good Neighbors, which operates a full-service meal center and food pantry in Rumford and another food pantry in Riverside. “We have the

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