Panic sets in for New Yorkers as SNAP benefits dry up and gov shutdown extends

Source: New York Post

New Yorkers panicked Saturday as their SNAP benefits officially ran out — making the prospect of going hungry very real for millions, as the government shutdown approached its second month. Cash-strapped shoppers tried to stretch their dough as best they could as they faced the reality of shopping without government assistance, after Senate Democrats blocked a government funding bill 13 times in six weeks — keeping the critical food program offline. “SNAP is the backbone of the urban bread basket.