As the federal government shutdown drags on, millions of Americans who receive SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits are caught in the middle. Money for the program is expected to lapse in just days, and those who rely on it to put food on the table are scrambling to adjust.

Melinda Delarosa of Waltham, Massachusetts says federal food assistance is what helps keep her family fed.

"They help out a great amount," Delarosa said of her SNAP benefits. Delarosa is a full-time caretaker for her 11-year-old son Edison, who has autism.

"People need to understand, you know, we're not doing this on purpose," she said. "We're not intentionally saying, hey, I need to live off the government."

Delarosa is one of more than a million people in Massachusetts and roughly one in every eight people nationwide who are enrolled in the SNAP. On average recipients, mainly seniors, those with disabilities and low-income families with children, receive $177 in monthly SNAP benefits.

"It's like, how do you go forward and feed your family?" she said. "When you depend on these, what do you do?" Delarosa said while showing the message on her account warning funds won't be dispersed next month.

For now, she plans to turn to local food pantries, which are already preparing for a spike in demand. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey is urging those who can donate to consider giving money or food items to local food banks.

"Those who are able to, please contact your local food pantry, food bank, and see how you can support," Healey said.

Healey is also calling on the Trump administration to tap into a federal contingency fund to continue funding SNAP through the shutdown.

"There's billions of dollars sitting right now in a contingency fund that the president can use to continue to fund SNAP, which is what every other president has done during a federal shutdown," Healey said during remarks Monday

State officials say EBT cards will continue to function as normal next month, but whatever funds families have may be all they receive until lawmakers reach an agreement.

"Families should budget their current balances carefully to stretch resources through the shutdown period," reads an update from the Department of Transitional Assistance. "You can use your SNAP dollars to buy non-perishable foods like frozen and canned food to stretch your food budget."

In Waltham, families like Delarosa's say they feel caught in the middle of Washington's political fight.

"You're grown adults, you guys don't have to worry about this," she said. "You're going to still feed your family, so it doesn't matter to [politicians] and that's not okay. It's not fair."

Massachusetts mother concerned about feeding family as SNAP benefits may be paused