(NEXSTAR) – More than 40 million Americans are preparing to have federal food assistance cut off starting Saturday.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, will not be funded in November if the government shutdown continues, the United States Department of Agriculture has warned. The program provides food assistance to about 1 in 8 people in the U.S.

Low-income and no-income families rely on the monthly benefits, which typically reload automatically on an EBT card, to buy groceries. Each household's allotment depends on income and family size. The average is $187 per person per month.

While some states, like Virginia, are planning to use emergency funds to reload EBT cards, far more states are directing funds to food banks or telling residents to seek help from charities.

How to find food assistance when SNAP funds expire

Feeding America has a directory of local food banks, food pantries and meal programs on its website. When you type in your ZIP code, it will direct you to an organization near you and give more details on food pickup locations and times.

Meanwhile, the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee is launching a "Hunger Can't Wait" campaign to allocate food resources directly to individuals and families set to lose their critical food and nutrition benefits.

Those in need of food can utilize Second Harvest Food Bank's Food Finder to locate a food distribution center in the Nashville area. On Thursday, Gov. Bill Lee announced that the state launched FeedTN.org to connect Tennesseans with resources and opportunities to serve.

You may also want to check Tennessee's SNAP page for more information.

Where to donate food in the Nashville area

State data shows more than 690,000 Tennesseans rely on SNAP for nutrition, including nearly 60,000 in Nashville.

If you would like to help support the Hunger Can't Wait campaign, follow this link. Officials say a $10 donation could provide 40 meals for children, families, and older adults across Middle and West Tennessee.

There are multiple food banks spread out across Davidson County that are prepared to see a surge in demand. News 2 has compiled a list of food banks that are ready to help those in need of assistance. To find a food bank near you, click here.

Are there any resources available for Metro Schools families?

Metro Nashville Public Schools will reportedly have food boxes available at the Celebration of Schools event at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 8.

In addition to that event, there are several opportunities for MNPS families to receive food:

Programs available for SNAP recipients in the Nashville area

Through its Fresh Bucks program, the Nashville Farmers' Market will match spending up to $100 for all customers using their EBT card to purchase fresh food. According to the mayor's office, people can shop at the participating booths and then bring their EBT receipt to the info booth 173 in the farm shed to receive Fresh Bucks tokens equal to the amount spent.

In addition, Nashville General Hospital is accepting patients for its Food Pharmacy program, which provides folks with nutritious foods, social work services, and nutrition counseling over a six-month period at no cost. To participate, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be a current patient of Nashville General Hospital (NGH) or Nashville Healthcare Center (NHC)
• Meet the screening guidelines for food insecurity, as determined by a staff member
• Given a Food Pharmacy prescription by a NGH/NHC provider

Will there be enough donations to meet demand?

Even before SNAP benefits dried up, food banks and food pantries were already seeing an increase in need.

Central Christian Church’s food pantry in downtown Indianapolis scrambled Saturday to accommodate around twice as many people as it normally serves in a day.

"There’s an increased demand. And we know it’s been happening really since the economy has downturned," volunteer Beth White said, adding that with an interruption in funding for SNAP, "it’s going to continue to get worse for folks."

Several states, including California, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island and West Virginia, are funneling millions toward food banks and nonprofits for November, but there are concerns it still won't be enough.

"The amount of food that SNAP provides has been estimated to be nine times larger than the entire food bank network combined, so to think that we at food banks alone can be the sole resource to pick up this slack for government’s failure in this moment, it’s very unreasonable," said George Matysik, executive director of Philadelphia food bank Share Food Program, in an interview with USA Today.

Some community organizers are warning of long lines and low supplies. Matysik said he's worried their stock will run out entirely.

"I’ve been here seven years," he said. "I’ve never seen our warehouses as empty as they are right now."

“When you take SNAP away, the implications are cataclysmic,” Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot said. “I assume people are assuming that somebody’s going to stop it before it gets too bad. Well, it’s already too bad. And it’s getting worse.”

Meanwhile, nonprofits and churches have stepped up in Middle Tennessee to fill the need if the government shutdown continues.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/list-how-to-find-food-in-the-nashville-area-if-your-snap-benefits-are-cut-off/