SAN JOSE, Calif. - At food banks in the South Bay and beyond, the rush was on Thursday to be ready for an unwanted deadline.

Volunteers at work

Second Harvest officials said produce that volunteers sorted during a two-hour shift will soon make its way to pantries for distribution.

"When we hear about government shutdowns and policy changes like to HR 1, that can feel like things that are happening very far away in Washington, D.C. But of course they have a real impact," said Leslie Bacho, the CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank.

A potential effect of a pause in payments for SNAP benefits would be a crushing blow to Vanessa Samaniego's budget. She's a mother of four who's the only financial support in her household.

"Providing food for them is a top priority. I basically go without ea

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