MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — After a government shutdown temporarily delayed SNAP benefit distribution in South Dakota, organizations across the state are stepping in to help families still struggling with food insecurity.

Team Buche Cares — the nonprofit arm of Buche Foods — distributed nearly $300,000 in $100 SNAP replacement certificates during the shutdown to assist families who were unable to access benefits.

“The board of Team Buche Cares decided that hunger couldn’t wait until Thanksgiving,” the organization said. “So we took those funds and we gave out nearly $300,000 in $100 SNAP certificates to families in need.”

Now, the nonprofit is partnering with Farmers Union Industries to distribute 10,000 pounds of pork loin to rural and tribal communities statewide. The first deliveries are scheduled for the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House and the Children’s Home Society, with additional stops planned across South Dakota.

Team Buche Cares is also preparing to provide Christmas meals for families in need as the holiday season approaches.

The collaborative effort, organizers say, reflects an ongoing commitment to fighting hunger in small towns, tribal communities, and other underserved areas that continue to feel the impact of the shutdown’s temporary disruption to food assistance programs.