Food pantries in Hamilton and surrounding counties are forecast to see an increase in demand from those who are on SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). Assistance for those on SNAP will come to an end at midnight tonight (Friday) due to the government shutdown that started October 1st. If payments are halted, families across Hamilton County and the state will be forced to turn to already-strained food pantries and community providers. The four food pantries in Webster City, Jewell and Stratford are expecting a huge turnout due to the shutdown now one month old with no end in sight. The Webster City food pantries are St. Paul and Trinity Lutheran churches, ACE/Asbury United Methodist, and Upper Des Moines Opportunity. The Jewell location is at Bethesda Lutheran and in Stratford at the Stratford Food Pantry. In Hamilton County there are 864 users of SNAP. The total SNAP users in surrounding counties are at 1,493 in Boone County, 724 in Franklin County, 1,365 in Hardin County, 3,847 in Story County, 4,316 SNAP users in Webster County and 929 users in Wright County. Monetary donations are expected to assist the food pantries in this critical time to help the families and individuals in need. In Iowa, there are nearly 270,000 who depend on the SNAP program each month for their nutritional needs. There are some restaurant chains that will offer free meals including Taco John’s due to the SNAP shutdown starting Saturday. Each month, the Food Bank of Iowa provides a mobile food pantry for those in need at St. Paul Lutheran on Beach Street and the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Parish Center on Des Moines Street. The next scheduled mobile food visit is set for November 18th at St. Paul Lutheran.