ATLANTA - Many Georgians are still struggling to buy groceries even though the federal shutdown has ended and government operations have resumed. State officials say full food-assistance benefits should be restored this week, but the gap has already pushed thousands toward food pantries.

What we know:

The Georgia Department of Human Services says SNAP recipients should receive their full November benefits either Tuesday or on their regularly scheduled date. Some people have received only partial payments and others have not received any, which has created an ongoing strain for families relying on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The pause during the shutdown left many SNAP users scrambling. Some lost benefits entirely. Others waited for days or weeks for updates. Many fo

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