Gaston County is asking the community to help support individuals and families whose access to food may be severely limited in the short term.
The county says it will establish several collection sites for non-perishable food items beginning today at sites in Gastonia including the county administration building, the Department of Social Services, Public Health, library and the Citizens Resource Center in Dallas.
With SNAP benefits set to end Saturday if the government doesn't reopen, 36,000 Gaston County residents will lose federal food subsidies.