WATERLOO, Iowa (KCRG) - The Northeast Iowa Food Bank says even though the federal shutdown has ended and SNAP benefits are being returned to families, the community need remains.

The food bank saw a surge in demand during the shutdown as families faced insecurity around their benefits and finances.

At the same time, the food bank says it continues to see shortages in both food supply and funding, and expects the pattern to continue through the holidays.

In just the first 12 days of November, the bank reported its pantries saw a 51% increase in visits compared to the same time last month, with almost 10% of those visits being first-time households.

“Many individuals and families are still trying to recover from weeks of uncertainty and added strain on their household budgets,” Barbara P

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