Nearly 42 million Americans who use food assistance program could be impacted in days as U.S. shutdown lingers

A volunteer hands a bag of groceries to a man at the Central Christian Church food bank in Indianapolis, Ind., on Saturday. Food bank officials say they will be under strain in November if a deal isn't reached to keep funding the main food assistance program used by more than 40 million Americans. (Obed Lamy/The Associated Press)

U.S. states are warning food aid recipients their benefits may not be distributed beginning Saturday if the federal government shutdown stretches into its fourth week.

Warnings issued on at least two dozen state websites flag the potential for an unprecedented benefit gap in November for Americans who get aid from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, and the nearly seven million who receive aid from the Special Suppl