In an unprecedented situation, tens of millions of Americans could lose access to a crucial food assistance program starting on Saturday amid the federal government shutdown.

Some will miss their food stamp benefits right away, while others won’t be hit until later in the month. If the benefits are indeed halted, it would be the first time there has been a full lapse in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, as food stamps are formally known.

Nearly 42 million people — or about 1 in 8 Americans — received food stamps in May, according to the latest USDA data.

About 4.4 million people were set to receive their food stamps on November 1, according to estimates from Code for America, which works with governments of all levels to improve access to food assistance and othe

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