‘Food is the first thing to go,’ Oregonians brace for SNAP delays if federal shutdown drags on

Across Oregon, grocery store prices are rising . More people are lining up at food pantries. Thousands struggle daily with the cost of putting food on their tables.

Now, hundreds of thousands of people could be left without food stamp benefit payments in November if the federal government shutdown continues.

“I don’t know how I’m going to make ends meet,” Nan Ahseln, who visited a pantry in Portland on Tuesday, said while volunteers loaded her cart with fresh produce, bread and canned goods.

More than 750,000 Oregonians enrolled in the government-run Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — more commonly known as SNAP or food stamps — will not receive benefits after the end of the month, Gov. Tina Kotek announced Monday. More than half are children, seniors or people with disabil