Nearly 100,000 people in Western North Carolina are at risk of not receiving their full November SNAP benefit because of the ongoing government shutdown.

Rural food pantries, already strained from rising food insecurity following Helene, are seeing increased demand.

Even when the government reopens, Republican-backed legislation passed earlier this year is expected to cut $187 billion from SNAP over the next decade.

This story has been updated with additional information. The state health department confirmed partial SNAP benefits were being issued to eligible recipients on Nov. 7.

BREVARD – By the end of October, droves of people began showing up at food pantries in rural Western North Carolina to stock up on canned goods, meat and produce, nervous about the looming disruption in fede

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