MCLEAN COUNTY ( 25News Now ) - Almost 500 McLean County residents received emergency benefits to buy food earlier this month when the federal government shutdown temporarily disrupted the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The City of Bloomington Township set up the Emergency Food Benefit Program on Nov. 3 , freeing up $150,000 in local funding to help residents, who otherwise might have had trouble putting food on the table when SNAP dollars were cut.

Township officials put out a release on Monday saying that during an eight-day period, the local program distributed $67,400 in benefits. In all, 496 family members across 217 households received the emergency funds.

“Our small but dedicated team worked early mornings, through lunch hours, and late into the evening to meet the

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