More than 130,000 people rely on SNAP to help put food on the table in the southern part of New Jersey, according to the Food Bank of South Jersey.

With the pause in benefits just days away, food pantries across our area are mobilizing and preparing to try to help families in need.

"We are certainly in uncharted territory," Mario Partee, the executive director of the Community Care Food and Clothing Pantry in Winslow Township, said. "This has never happened before."

Partee was helping re-stock shelves Tuesday afternoon while bracing for a sharp increase in need. He's now thinking of ways to help distribute more food, knowing SNAP benefits are slated to stop coming at the end of the month because of the ongoing government shutdown.

"We are going to definitely try to have our food pantry open maybe an additional day," Partee said. "We're also going to try and tackle it by offering free meals, partnering with our restaurants that are partnering with us now."

On Tuesday, Partee attended a monthly meeting filled with faith-based organizations and local food pantries, and SNAP was a topic of conversation.

"Already our lines are increasing substantially," Angela Brown, co-founder of Loving Our Cities, a food distribution center in Sewell, said, "and so we are trying to get creative."

Brown says their primary source of food comes from the Food Bank of South Jersey, but they're also turning to big box stores, collecting food at or close to expiration dates, to help meet the growing need.

"We're there to receive it, and we're also in the midst of food drives," Brown said.

The Food Bank of South Jersey tells CBS News Philadelphia it's already serving about 200,000 people each month, and if SNAP benefits stop, even more families will need help. Now, the food bank is working to get extra resources to food pantries in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem counties ahead of Nov. 1.

Partee is speaking with local leaders and hoping the community will also want to help.

"We are hoping people are generous this season, not just because of the holiday season, but because of this massive issue that's coming to our table," Partee said.

The Food Bank is also asking for support to buy more food for its 300 community partners. Officials are asking for monetary donations right now. 

Those who need food assistance in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem counties can visit foodbanksj.org/food or use the green "FIND FOOD" button at the top of the website to locate pantries by ZIP code. At the bottom of that page, you can also find links to sister New Jersey food banks and their find food locators.