More than 74,000 people in South Dakota – about 8% of the state's population – receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

That's slightly fewer than a year ago, when more than 75,000 people were getting SNAP benefits, according to the South Dakota Department of Social Services. Nationwide, about 42 million people rely on the federal program, which provides low-income families monthly benefits to afford healthy food, USA TODAY reported.

However, those benefits are at serious risk of being disrupted by the government shutdown. The program's funding could lapse on Nov. 1 for the first time in the program's 60-year history without intervention from federal lawmakers.

Here's more about the South Dakota residents who receive SNAP benefits.

Related: Feeding

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