According to the Minnesota Dept. of Children, Youth, and Families, SNAP is the state's most effective tool for addressing hunger and poverty.

Gov. Walz announced state funding Monday to help Minnesotans who receive monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Can the safety net of food shelves, food banks and other sources fill the gap left by the government shutdown?

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — more commonly known as SNAP, or food stamps — is a key benefits program that serves more than 40 million people across the country. Now, the shutdown is threatening to suspend benefits, raising concerns over where millions of people who rely on the program will turn to for food.

If no deal is reached in Washington, SNAP benefits, funds that help pay for groceries, could run out for families across the country. Here is how you can help.

DCYF sent an email to Minnesota’s 87 counties and 11 tribal nations earlier this week, laying out a timeline that appears to taper off the distribution of benefits.

The Agriculture Department said it can't use contingency funds to pay for SNAP benefits, contradicting earlier guidance that the money was available.