CHARLESTON — While the governor has announced state funding contributions and sought private donations to bolster West Virginia’s two largest food banks with federal SNAP benefits about to be halted, Democratic lawmakers said Thursday the state needs to put up more money.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is set to grind to a halt Saturday as a result of the ongoing government shutdown. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it could not tap into a $5 billion emergency contingency fund to keep SNAP operating into November.

Members of the Democratic caucus in the West Virginia House of Delegates wrote letters Thursday to the state’s congressional delegation, President Donald Trump and USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins seeking the release of the contingency funds for SNAP.

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