By Jim McGaw

PORTSMOUTH — With federal food assistance caught in the crossfire of the ongoing government shutdown, local food pantries across Rhode Island are feeling the strain — and stepping up to meet it.

In Portsmouth alone, 683 residents who qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have either had their benefits frozen or reduced. The fate of those payments remains uncertain after President Donald Trump threatened this week to withhold funds for 42 million Americans until the shutdown ends, despite court orders directing him to resume payments.

At the Aquidneck Food Pantry on Sprague Street, Outreach Coordinator Marcella Bauer said the ripple effects are already clear.

Using a 50-pound bag of rice, Aquidneck Food Pantry volunteer Marcy Bouchard measures

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