The announcement that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits wouldn’t be distributed in November rippled through Maine, where tens of thousands of households rely on assistance for food. The news has prompted leaders at all levels of government in Maine to call on the federal government to distribute the benefits to avoid a crisis for recipients.

Starting this Saturday, almost 170,000 Mainers who rely on SNAP benefits will stop receiving that money, which many say they count on to have enough food.

With roughly 170,000 Mainers about to lose federal food assistance and, in the absence of a state contingency plan, dozens of legislators are calling on the federal government to release emergency funds.

Of the total pledged, $1 million will come from the governor's contingency account, with the John T. Gorman Foundation contributing $250,000 to supplement food supplies for Maine households.

Sen. Craig Hickman, an organic farmer, says the state 'must act quickly' to cover the anticipated loss of federal food assistance for 170,000 Mainers.

As the government shutdown heads into November, some 170,000 people in Maine are bracing for the loss of monthly grocery money from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Something's got to give — and it's not the local markets, restaurants, food banks and pantries already giving their all.

This money is expected to help provide food for the nearly 170,000 Maine residents who rely on SNAP benefits, as funding will not be available in November due to the federal government shutdown.