As we enter day two of the government shutdown, food banks are making sure they are prepared for a potential influx of new clients. That's because many people are just one paycheck away from needing support.
"The advice I have for a federal worker would be to go ahead and line up things that you know you could access if you need to," said CEO of the Arizona Food Bank Network Terri Shoemaker. "So don't wait until the day you might need a food box to find a food pantry that might be closest to you."
Shoemaker says there are about 70,000 federal workers in Arizona, but they don't know how many of those will be furloughed. She says food banks are already serving 718,000 people every month, so even 10% more, which could be the minimum, is a big ask.
She also says that for the month of October, SNAP applications and recertifications will continue to be processed.
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