DALLAS — Every year at the close of the season, the State Fair of Texas donates thousands of pounds of food to local pantries.

What You Need To Know

If the government shutdown continues, millions of people could lose their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November

The government has until Oct. 27 to end the shutdown before next month’s SNAP is cut

Every Texan, a bipartisan public policy group, estimates about 3.5 million Texans are using SNAP to buy groceries

This year, some food banks say it’s right on time as they plan for a possible increase in people seeking their services.

If the government shutdown continues, millions of people could lose their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November.

The government has until Oct. 27 to end the shutdown before next month’s SNAP is cut.

Every Texan, a bipartisan public policy group, estimates about 3.5 million Texans are using SNAP to buy groceries.

For Cornerstone Community Kitchen, any extra donations go a long way right now as they say they are already seeing more people in need.

They serve about 13,000 meals a month to people in South Dallas, and are one of about a dozen food banks that has received donations this week from the State Fair of Texas.

They come as overall donations to the food pantry have dropped.

“With the increase now in need it is again a perfect storm for people who are food insecure having a very difficult time, and so we were not prepared for this uptick in individuals coming to receive food, but we just have to figure it out,” said Chris Simmons, the pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church.

Harvey White was in line for the free lunch yesterday. He’s one of many Texans who would lose his November SNAP benefits if the government shutdown lasts through Monday. If that happens, it would fall on top of already having lost some of his food stamp money.

“It affects me real bad, you know, and I have just have very little money to take care of meals and then this next,” said White. “We don’t know what else is going to be next. We just have to keep praying.”

If you’re someone who may need help with food or you would like to donate, Simmons said to head to their website, cornerstonedallas.org.

To check on SNAP benefit updates from the government, go to YourTexasbenefits.com.