Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade is calling on the community to help support local food assistance programs amid a funding freeze on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

“I am calling on our entire community — residents, nonprofits, faith leaders, and businesses — to rise to this moment with compassion and action. If you are in need, help is available. Local organizations across our city are ready to serve you,” Mobolade said in a news release Friday.

Aiding roughly 42 million people in the country, SNAP ran out of funds Saturday amid a government shutdown that has halted the ability to allocate funds toward federal programs and departments.

Plans by the Trump administration to freeze SNAP payments were halted by federal judges, but the delay in payouts will still likely leave millions of people short on their grocery bills, according to The Associated Press.

People eligible for the food assistance program saw their payouts for groceries suspended indefinitely. This includes 85,500 El Paso County residents, the Department of Human Services told The Gazette on Tuesday.

Mobolade provided a list of local and state resources for residents in need of assistance:

• Pikes Peak United Way 2-1-1
• Care and Share Food Bank
• Food to Power (1090 S. Institute St.)
• Westside CARES (2808 W. Colorado Ave.)
• City Community Centers website
• Home Front Military Network

Colorado Springs Utilities also has payment extensions and assistance programs.

Several new efforts are also underway to help fill the gap, including a $25,000 matching gift offered by Ent Credit Union to support emergency fundraising for Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado.

Ent members who certify that they or someone in their household has been directly impacted by the federal government shutdown or the loss or suspension of food or other government benefits, such as food assistance, are eligible and must meet other criteria.

“I urge you to support our food banks and community partners with monetary or food donations,” Mobolade said. “Colorado Springs has always shown its heart in moments like these, and I know we will step up again.”

The El Paso County website provides updates on county services, along with links to other resources.