LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Without the SNAP food benefits that tens of millions of Americans depend on, states, as we heard, and food banks will be trying to fill the gap starting tomorrow. So we reached out to food bank leaders across the country.
BRIAN GREENE: There is no calvary (ph) coming to save us this time.
A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
That's Brian Greene, the CEO of one of the country's largest nonprofit food distributors, the Houston Food Bank.
GREENE: If this goes on long, it is going to be tragedy for huge numbers of American households, and that's unacceptable.
FADEL: In New Mexico, 21% of the state's residents get SNAP. Katy Anderson runs the Roadrunner Food Bank.
KATY ANDERSON: We have already been experiencing this week and the end of last week, people reaching out pretty nonstop, looking for support.
MARTÍNEZ: Eighteen of recipients rely on SNAP benefits in Louisiana. The state legislature there authorized up to $150 million to help cover short-term interruptions. Mike Manning is in charge of the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.
MIKE MANNING: We're hopeful that the governor's efforts to buy time till the shutdown ends is going to be beneficial and will mitigate some of the problems that the SNAP population will experience.
FADEL: In North Carolina, Claire Neal leads the MANNA FoodBank in Asheville. Her organization's warehouse was destroyed by Hurricane Helene last year and is still under reconstruction.
CLAIRE NEAL: Our region is still rebuilding and reeling from both the damage and the economic impact of the storm. And then this second crisis comes along where we see the reduction in benefits that are intended to help people get back up on their feet.
MARTÍNEZ: Western North Carolina isn't alone in dealing with overlapping crises. Here's Michael Flood, CEO of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
MICHAEL FLOOD: The wildfires in January led to a huge spike in the demand for food assistance and other resources. The LA Regional Food Bank needs support, need financial support.
FADEL: So food banks are fundraising and fundraising. Kyle Waide leads the Atlanta Community Food Bank in Georgia.
KYLE WAIDE: For every dollar you give to us, we can go get more of that food than you can if you just go down to the grocery store.
MARTÍNEZ: These food banks say they can't fill the gap the federal government is on the verge of opening, and they're asking others to lend a hand.
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