Food pantries are working to meet the need as more families reach out for help.

Many of them are seeing an increase in requests as Snap benefits remain in limbo.

Our Laura Rogers has more from Bowling Green.

We give a box of crackers.

We give a box of, instant oatmeal.

Different packets.

Doug Watson volunteers three days a week at the Hillview Heights Church Food Pantry, at risk of running out.

As if we underestimate how much to order week to week, which we did this week.

They had to make an emergency run to restock as the church gave out well over 100 food boxes the last week of October, close to double an ordinary week.

It's just like a mad rush to get here and get some food.

A lot of people calling in with concerns about losing their Snap benefits.

United Way of Southern Kentucky's 211 connects callers to agencies and resources to help with food, housing, rent and utility bills, and numerous other needs and concerns.

Since the first full week of October.

We noticed an uptick in our calls, predominantly about food insecurity.

One thing with 211 is that we're not even just sharing where to go, but we're already screening them and giving them the list of the ones that specifically can help them.

For many of those callers that house on the Hill, we have basically doubled in the last month.

Executive Director Joel Hawkins says they prepare 350 food boxes a month, helping more than 600 families through their food programs.

Free grocery pickup and delivery.

We've had a lot of people coming who are out of their food stamps.

They know they're not going to be getting, or they believe they're not going to be getting, as we all believe, they're not going to be getting food stamps in the next month.

Friday morning, there was a virtual meeting among area food pantries and nonprofits, along with family resource and youth services centers in the school systems to discuss challenges and solutions.

Some of the smaller pantries, feeling like they're not going to be able to sustain the need of the community.

You know, they're smaller.

They don't have a lot of food anyway.

We're all working together to try to figure out how do we all maintain one, the clients that were already serving and then the influx that we might see.

Hawkins says House on the Hill is preparing for that influx by purchasing more food.

We plan ahead.

We always have extra food on hand.

It's just part of our model, especially as they plan to make 1000 Thanksgiving boxes for area families in need.

We have ordered stocked a little bit of extra food knowing what was going to happen.

He says there are misconceptions about many people who rely on government assistance.

People that are on Snap benefits are not people who are not working.

They're not people who are just sitting around their house waiting for somebody to give them food and do everything for them.

Hawkins says many of those they help are employed, but their wages are low, and Snap benefits make up a fifth to a quarter of their household expenses.

Without the snap benefits, they're going to have to make up for, you know, between 5 and $600 in their in their monthly budget.

And that's difficult for those who may live paycheck to paycheck.

We need the government to open back up.

People need their Snap benefits and then a can of soup.

But there are people stepping up and helping out.

Until that happens, our community is really coming together so that people don't go hungry.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Laura Rogers.