RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — As the federal government shutdown drags on, more than 600,000 families in North Carolina are days away from losing access to food assistance programs, and for many, the consequences could be devastating.

For Autumn McCollough, a new mom in Raleigh, that loss could mean her baby going hungry.

"It is terrifying. I'm scared that he's not going to be able to get what he needs, the nutrients he needs. He's a growing baby," she said.

McCollough relies on $850 each month in SNAP and WIC benefits to feed her three-month-old baby, her fiancé, and her mother. But those benefits are expected to dry up on Saturday, leaving her uncertain about how to provide for her family.

"I'm extremely stressed. It's very overwhelming. It's borderline heartbreaking," she said. "I feel lik

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