Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency on Oct. 23 in response to the federal government shutdown, which threatens the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. The Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance Program will at least temporarily fill part of the gap, assuming the shutdown continues into November. WMRA’s Ayse Pirge reports.
LES SINCLAIR: The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is pleased that there will be more resources available for folks that need them. Especially the SNAP program.
Les Sinclair is the Communications and PR Manager with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. He says that if the state’s program launches soon, people will have the benefits that they need to provide food for themselves, at least for that week. Regardless, the food bank is here for people who need it.
SINCLAIR: We are prepared, along with our partners, to make sure that we can support our community today, tomorrow, and throughout the federal government shutdown.
Sinclair also wants people who have never sought aid before to know that if they need help with groceries, they will not be taking from someone else. He says they can use the food bank’s website to locate a food pantry near them.
