(NEXSTAR) – Over 40 million Americans could lose access to federal food assistance Saturday if the government shutdown continues into November.

Barring a deal in Congress that would end the stalemate, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps roughly one in eight Americans buy groceries, will lose funding Saturday.

SNAP, which was previously known as "food stamps," helps eligible low-income Americans and their families afford groceries. Money is loaded each month onto electronic benefit (EBT) cards, which can be used like debit cards at grocery stores, farmers markets and more. States are in charge of defining eligibility rules for their residents.

With November just days away, states and local organizations have been scrambling to find backup sources of food for

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