TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —As the government shutdown continues, SNAP benefits have officially run dry, and food banks are on the front lines looking to fill the gap.

The Salvation Army has recently seen an increase in demand for food, with the pantry providing canned goods, bread and meat.

Volunteers at the pantry say they’re seeing people who haven’t needed help in years returning to fill the gap with the loss of SNAP benefits.

“We’ve seen new people coming in, probably 25 to 30% increase here in just the last few days. And new people just coming into the door, not just calling, but just walking and getting in the food line. And then people that we hadn’t seen for years coming back, we definitely have seen an increase,” said Patty Cameron, family coordinator at The Salvation Army.

See Full Page