FARGO — Local food pantries have been packed because of the government shutdown, with some regularly seeing record numbers of visitors.

That increased demand has led to longer lines and inventory being stretched thin, putting staff in a tough spot.

“People have been lining up three to four hours in advance," says Aslan Deal, the food pantry assistant at Dorothy Day in Moorhead,

That’s what Deal says motivates them at Dorothy Day in Moorhead, saying new people are coming through their doors every day, trying to provide for their families.

“You can see the tension in their body, they’re worrying, ‘Am I going to get enough for me, for my family?’ You can see the anxiety,” Deal said.

It's a similar story at the Emergency Food Pantry in Fargo.

“We helped over 160 families during the few h

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