The end of the nation's longest government shutdown means food assistance for 42 million Americans should soon be restored after a nearly two week halt.

But suspending funding to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP, may have long-lasting impacts, say some experts and those who depend on the program to feed their families.

Jacqueline Giammona, a single working mom of two boys, relies on SNAP for most of her groceries. By last week, her pantry and freezer were near empty.

The Sacramento, Calif., resident was among those in some states who saw November benefits hit the EBT card they use to buy food, amid back-and-forth legal wranglings that reached the Supreme Court.

"I was really relieved," she said, but there was a nagging feeling in her gut. "Okay, wha

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