Scores of cars snaked around the block near Sunnyvale Community Services Wednesday, stretching towards the main road as a steady flow of people sought food throughout the morning.

Amid continuing confusion over SNAP benefits, the nonprofit is seeing demand for its food bank peak to the highest levels since the end of COVID aid. Even as the government shutdown appears to be coming an end, food banks say the increased need highlights hidden financial struggles even in wealthy communities and is a precursor of what is to come as more restrictions on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits roll out.

“We’ve never seen this kind of cutting of benefits,” said Marie Bernard, Executive Director of Sunnyvale Community Services. “It’s heartbreaking the cruelty that we’re seeing

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