BOISE, Idaho — Demand for food assistance in Idaho continues to climb steadily, and the ongoing federal government shutdown threatens to worsen the crisis.

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Jana Wolf, the director of partnerships and programs for the Idaho Food Bank, said more than 2 million federal employees nationwide face potential financial strain, with many likely to miss paychecks if the shutdown continues.

"If the shutdown continues or is extended, there's going to be some federal employees and their families that are going to be impacted by this," Wolf said.

The food bank currently serves more than 216,000 people monthly through a network of 400 partner agencies statewide, including schools, churches, senior centers and co

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