RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Virginia has created a food system to help residents during the federal government shutdown.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Tuesday announced that Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance (VENA) will deliver benefits to people who use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

If the shutdown hasn’t ended by Nov. 1, VENA will begin weekly distributions on Monday.

Youngkin says that people who use SNAP will use the same cards as they do now.

“We’ll be doing it every week as long as we can,” Youngkin said.

The governor says the money will come from the state surplus, which is currently around $37.5 million.

Benefits will be distributed in thirds with the first coming Nov. 3, another third on Nov. 5, and the remaining on Nov. 7.

Additional information will be p

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