JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The effects of the federal government shutdown are rippling through the First Coast, hitting hard those families who are already struggling to secure daily necessities.

On a crisp Saturday morning, a significant number of vehicles assembled outside the Regency Square Mall for an emergency food distribution event, courtesy of Feeding Northeast Florida.

Even before the clock struck 8 a.m., over 100 cars had queued up, with families eagerly anticipating the assistance they desperately needed.

“The weight of the shutdown, the pervasive fear, and the overwhelming uncertainty are clearly reflected in the turnout here,” remarked Susan King, CEO of Feeding Northeast Florida.

The organization hosted a large-scale, drive-through food distribution offering free fresh produce, proteins and pantry staples. King says the team was prepared to serve up to 900 households impacted by the ongoing shutdown.

“This is a very visible large-scale distribution. We wanted people to know that we’re here. We’re doing the best we can. There’s certainly no way that we can make up for SNAP benefits and its $22 million-a-month impact to Duval County alone,” King said.

Volunteers say the demand for help has skyrocketed.

“The economic climate is extremely high, not just because people lost SNAP but also because of the furlough. You have people right now working and they’re not getting paid, and so these lines are going to be extremely long now because we have people who are working on their jobs and they still need to feed their families,” said Shera Freeman, who volunteered at Saturday’s event.

King says the surge in demand is directly tied to financial strain many are feeling as the shutdown drags on.

“Hopefully this extreme level of anxiety and uncertainty will be gone soon,” King said.

Feeding Northeast Florida says it plans to continue holding emergency food distributions like this for as long as the need remains.