MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - As thousands of families in Dane County face the possibility of paused benefits from the federal FoodShare program, local food pantries are already seeing a dramatic uptick in demand.

At The River Food Pantry, Director of Operations Helen Osborn-Senatus reports that this week alone the nonprofit logged its second busiest day in its 19-year history.

“This week, only two days ago, we served 493 households. So, our second busiest day in the river’s 19-year history,” Osborn-Senatus said.

The surge comes amid a looming cutoff: The U.S. Department of Agriculture has warned that if the federal government shutdown continues, November SNAP benefits may not be issued starting November 1.

In just this week, The River estimates they’ve served nearly 1,000 households and al

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