AUSTIN, Texas - As the government shutdown continues, hundreds of thousands of Central Texans will lose their SNAP benefits on November 1.

The backstory:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on Nov. 1 due to the government shutdown.

This means about 40 million people could see food assistance disappear next month if the shutdown continues.

Some states have also stopped approving new applications for SNAP.

The government has been shut down since Oct. 1. Democrats have refused to vote on legislation that would reopen the government as they demand funding for health care. Republicans say they are willing to discuss the issue later, only after the government reopens.

By the numbers:

More than 140,000 Central Texan

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