What exactly is SNAP and is it the same as food stamps? How does it work? Here's who benefits as the Nov. 1 cutoff nears.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — more commonly known as SNAP, or food stamps — is a key benefits program that serves more than 40 million people across the country. Now, the shutdown is threatening to suspend benefits, raising concerns over where millions of people who rely on the program will turn to for food.

The city of Flint is making plans to launch a food voucher program to help households enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program if benefits are suspended starting on Saturday, Nov. 1.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Tuesday announced that Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance (VENA) will deliver benefits to people who use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). If the shutdown hasn’t ended by Nov. 1, VENA will begin weekly distributions on Monday.

Democratic leaders from 25 states are suing the USDA over the looming suspension of SNAP benefits, which is set to begin Nov. 1 because of the government shutdown.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced the launch of the Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance program (VENA), a state-funded initiative designed to support Virginians

Each month, when his Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funds arrive, Daniel Garratt stocks up meats and pantry staples like canned goods in bulk at Walmart. He then visits local discount or dollar stores for nonperishable items.

“Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Bottom line, the well has run dry,” the unsigned message posted on the USDA’s official website reads.