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The government shutdown is causing concern across the country as SNAP benefits are set to stop this weekend, affecting millions of Americans who rely on the program for food assistance. House Speaker Mike Johnson said, "On Saturday, this gets very real. SNAP benefits will stop flowing to all those who need it." The USDA has warned that SNAP, which supports 1 in 8 Americans, will "run dry" if the shutdown extends into November, leading food assistance organizations to prepare for a surge in demand.Across the country, nonprofits are gearing up for the potential SNAP shutoff. Lucie Leblois from the DC Food Project, which provides food and meals for students to take home nightly, on weekends, or over long breaks, says 2-3 new schools are calling each day asking for assistance. "It is a very desperate call," Leblois said. "We like to say at our team, really, what we're starting to feel is it feels almost like an aura of the pandemic is re-rising, where it is that really sheer panic moment of what do we do tomorrow?"Leblois says her organization is currently providing for more than 50 schools, has 25 on a waitlist, and she isn't sure her organization can meet new demand if SNAP funding runs out. "I mean, to be honest, at this moment, right now, there is not a chance that we can onboard all the schools," Leblois said.The USDA reports that the average household receives $332 a month from SNAP, which helps feed nearly 16 million children nationwide.Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico questioned, "Which Republicans going to stand up and object to their constituents eating?" Luján has introduced a bill to keep SNAP funded during the shutdown, while Republican Sen. Josh Hawley has proposed his own version. However, Republican leadership has not brought either bill to a vote, arguing that reopening the government is the best way to fund SNAP. Sen. John Thune, the Republican Majority Leader, said, "We're not going to let them pick winners and losers. It's time to fund everybody."As the Nov. 1 deadline approaches, SNAP benefits are still set to stop, with no indication of a deal to reopen the government. Democrats are demanding a commitment from Republicans to fund healthcare policies, including extending tax credits under the Affordable Care Act, while Republicans are willing to negotiate these policies only after the government reopens. This stalemate has left Washington paralyzed.In response to the impending SNAP shutoff, states like Virginia, Rhode Island, New Mexico, and Louisiana are attempting to temporarily backfill SNAP with emergency funds or donations. Others are reallocating money to food banks or preparing to use the National Guard to distribute food.Watch more from the Washington Bureau here: