Mississippi’s children, older adults and low-income families will suffer when federal food assistance halts tomorrow if the state does not step in, pediatricians and legislators urged in letters to the governor this week.

New benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, will not be issued beginning Nov. 1 due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, the Mississippi Department of Human Services announced Oct. 24. Food assistance has continued to flow in past shutdowns, but the federal government has said it cannot use emergency funds to pay for the program.

Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has not indicated that he will move for Mississippi to bridge the gap in the food assistance program. Democratic and Republican governors in a handful of other states, includin

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