CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WWBT) - Following an end to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, federal agencies are slowly working to get operations back to normal, including food assistance programs like SNAP.

Food banks across the country are hoping some of the extra weight they have felt over the past month will now be lifted.

“Obviously we are very excited the shutdown is over, Nick Jenkins, community outreach director with the Chesterfield Food Bank Outreach Center, said. ”That is a relief with not knowing when that was going to come."

The food bank reported a 60% increase in demand as the shutdown began affecting federal workers and food assistance programs.

Jenkins said the organization managed the sudden surge through partnerships with Feed More, as well as emergency resources

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