ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. — Food pantries are struggling to keep up with the demand in Kentuckiana. In Louisville and southern Indiana, federal cuts were blamed for emptier shelves amid a rise in need.

The government shutdown compounded the issue, as many federal workers missed paychecks for weeks. SNAP benefits that help families in need afford food were also delayed due to the shutdown.

In Hardin County, WHAS11 found how two restaurants in Radcliff saw fewer customers for the six-week shutdown stretch.

In nearby Elizabethtown, two operators of food pantries say, just as many in Louisville have told WHAS11, that the number of families in need they are serving has continued to rise.

Helping Hand of Hope aims to be a resource for those in need across Hardin County. They have a thrift store,

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