KILLEEN, Texas — As the government shutdown stretches into its 41st day, thousands of Central Texans lined up outside the Killeen Mall Monday afternoon for a free food distribution event hosted by the Central Texas Food Bank .

The event, held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the J.C. Penney entrance, drew an overwhelming crowd, many of them SNAP recipients struggling to make ends meet as federal aid remains uncertain.

“When the government shut down, it hurts us a lot, so we try to get as much as we can right now,” one person said while waiting in line.

Because of recent court rulings, many SNAP recipients are only receiving partial benefits after the Supreme Court blocked an order requiring full payments during the shutdown. Some residents said they haven’t received any benefits this month.

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