In two days, half a million Nevadans will lose access to SNAP food benefits as a result of the government shutdown. Thursday, state leaders moved forward with a plan to provide food for them through local food banks.

The Reno-Sparks Gospel mission provides free meals to homeless or food insecure people in Northern Nevada. Its staff prepares as many as 1,300 meals each day and serves breakfast and dinner to any individual or family off the streets, and provides groceries to hundreds of people each week.

Three Square Food Bank is expanding emergency relief efforts as families across Southern Nevada face food insecurity, stepping up to help those in need and offering ways you can help as well.

As the federal shutdown continues, Nevada officials are rolling out a large-scale plan to make sure no family goes hungry.Governor Joe Lombardo’s office release

The Nevada Legislature’s Interim Finance Committee has approved moving $30 million from its contingency account to the Food Insecurity Nevada Plan, which will support the state’s food banks amid the federal government’s ongoing shutdown

The money will boost access to food at pantries statewide, but some legislators want to send cash directly to affected Nevadans instead.

Southern Nevada’s food bank is expanding its emergency food response to meet the anticipated growing need for food support as federal funding to a food program that helps feed nearly 500,000 residents threatens to dry up on Saturday.