More than 200 Democratic lawmakers sent a letter Friday to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins urging her to use the contingency fund to continue the program.

Five Ohio representatives join more than 200 congressional Democrats calling for emergency measures as the federal shutdown threatens food assistance for 190,000 in Cuyahoga County and more than 1 million people across Ohio.

Experts warned that Americans face a "tough time" as food banks are unlikely to be able to meet the incoming demand.

“Nearly 3.5 million people in Texas alone rely on monthly SNAP benefits,” said Wilson. SMU Professor Dr. Doric Earle is co-founder of Restorative Farms, an urban farming network fighting food insecurity. With SNAP benefits up in the air, they have to adjust their outreach.

If November begins and SNAP payments don't arrive, residents can seek relief at their local food banks, which they can identify through the state's 211 system. Connecticut Foodshare, which operates pantries across the state, has secured additional funding and additional food in preparation for the coming spike in demand, Jakubowski said.

Federal food assistance is about to run dry in just over a week amid the protracted government shutdown. WellSpan is stepping up to help feed 1 million meals.

States are warning that they won't be able to provide food assistance on Nov. 1 unless a deal to reopen the government is reached.