.Since September, when the federal government partially shut down because Congress couldn’t resolve a spending dispute, most Americans have been insulated from the direct fallout of the impasse.

Thirty days in, that’s changing. Disruptions in food aid for struggling families, missed paychecks for federal workers and cuts to home heating assistance just as cold weather hits much of the country are among the grim consequences that could soon unfold.

The pain the shutdown is poised to inflict on communities across the nation is playing out in local news headlines.

“ With SNAP cutoff looming, this Augusta food bank has empty shelves ,” proclaims the Athens Banner-Herald in Georgia.

“ Mainers brace for hunger crisis as SNAP benefits set to expire amid shutdown ,” WGME, the CBS affiliate

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