Food banks have already been contending with higher food prices and increased need. Administrators say demand will skyrocket if federal nutrition benefits stop in a few days because of the government shutdown.

“The average household that we see receives about $350 per month, which roughly translates to about $44 million worth of SNAP benefits that will be gone from families,” she told NPR. “There is no way that we alone can make up for a $44 million food budget shortfall.”