DES MOINES, Iowa —

Relief is finally on the way for the more than 130,000 Iowa households that have gone nearly two weeks without Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services says November payments will begin hitting cards Thursday, ending a stretch of uncertainty that forced many families to seek help for the first time.

The shutdown resolution offers immediate help, but those on the frontlines of feeding families say the fallout is far from over. At the Food Bank of Iowa, staff have been racing to keep up with the surge in need caused by the 43-day federal shutdown, and leaders warn the impact will stretch well beyond this week.

Inside the Food Bank of Iowa, the pace has been relentless. Trucks have been loading up and rolling ou

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