The calls to the Republican governor came as the food stamp program was set to run out of funding amid the government shutdown.

The Central Texas Food Bank expects to spend roughly four times its monthly budget to support Austin-area SNAP recipients.

Austin-area businesses, churches and nonprofits are offering free meals to help people affected by the delays. Here’s where to get help if you need it and help others if you can.

With SNAP delays set to begin Nov. 1 that will impact more than 3.5 million Texans, food banks in the state are bracing for a surge in need.

Millions of Texans are expected to be impacted by the halt in SNAP benefits next month, as a result of the government shutdown. Austin-area food banks stay open to help those facing food insecurity.

The ongoing government shutdown means more than $600 million per month won’t go to millions of Texas SNAP beneficiaries who pump that money into the state economy.

The money will go to the North Texas Food Bank and food boxes for furloughed federal workers and for Dallas County residents who are right now without SNAP benefits and for now will get less than what they normally receive.

As the nation prepares for SNAP benefits to halt on Saturday, leaders turned their attention to public schools. For millions of students, school is the most reliable source of meals.