Red tape stands in the way of issuing food assistance, as benefits shrink in the wake of the government shutdown, according to state officials.

“The President who threw a Gatsby-themed party the night before he cut off SNAP benefits is now vowing to break a court order so that he can force millions of children, seniors, and veterans to go hungry,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) wrote on social media. “It’s sickening. I won’t stand for it.”

Late Tuesday afternoon, Dallas County and Dallas City officials decided to make a big donation to help North Texans struggling to put food on the table.

For more than a month, U.S. Senate Democrats and Republicans have been at an impasse. The chamber needs bipartisan support to pass a spending measure because 60 votes are required to end a filibuster and advance to a final vote, but neither party has that much of a majority.

Monday marks the 34th day of the shutdown, which is now the second-longest in U.S. history. A 35-day record was set between December 2018 to January 2019.Click here to read the rest of the blog.

The halt in SNAP funding has impacted a critical lifeline for food for thousands of homeless people on the streets, according to one agency who is working to fill the gap.

On Monday, local leaders and community advocates gathered in Scotia to demand immediate relief for families relying on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.