NEWTON, Iowa —

As the federal government shutdown continues to stall Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, a Newton man is stepping up to make sure families in his community don’t go hungry.

Rick Vernon has launched a community challenge to raise money for the Salvation Army in Newton, donating $15,000 of his own money and urging others to match his contribution.

“What we’re doing is a community challenge where we’re going to give $15,000 to the Salvation Army as a challenge for the community,” Vernon said. “We’re hoping to get a lot more than that to help the needy and hungry in Newton.”

The effort comes as millions of families across the country face uncertainty about their food benefits. On Friday, the Supreme Court temporarily blocked an order requiring the Trump ad

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