ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (WTVD) -- Rural communities are grappling with the effects of the government shutdown, with older residents facing heightened challenges.

In response, Heart to Home Meals launched 'Operation Snap Disruption', a community-driven initiative delivering free meals to anyone who lost SNAP benefits .

Patrick Ignacio, owner of the North Carolina franchise, described the meals as healthy options, including chicken, turkey, beef, and pork. The franchise is serving 17 counties in NC.

Heart to Home Meals, with franchises in Canada, the UK, and parts of the Southeast United States, is a company focused on providing home-delivered, medically aligned, nutritious meals to seniors, helping them maintain independence in their own homes.

A former pharmacist, Ignacio has dedicated hi

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