Brooklyn —

With the holiday season looming, many families are struggling to put food on the table. Now, amid federal cuts to food stamps, the food pantries operators are predicting major shortages as they try to serve the hungry during the busiest time of the year.

An estimated 1.5 million New Yorkers are expected to seek emergency food services this winter. In Brooklyn, the Bed Stuy Campaign Against Hunger already is struggling to meet the demand for food as new clients pour in.