West Virginia lawmakers receive a tour of the Mountaineer Food Bank in Gassaway, West Virginia during legislative sessions on June 22, 2025. (Photo by Perry Bennett/West Virginia Legislative Photography)
With federal food assistance in jeopardy due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Tuesday that the state would donate “up to $13 million” to the state’s two food banks — Facing Hunger in Huntington and Mountaineer Food Bank in Gassaway.
He called on West Virginians to raise the state’s contribution.
“West Virginians have shown a history of pulling together in times like these,” Morrisey said. “We care about our neighbors. We roll up our sleeves. We get things done. That’s why today I’m calling on everyone in West Virginia – individuals, families, businesses, people who care for those in need in our state – to stand up.”
“We want to come together and help those people who need this support or are unable to access their SNAP benefits,” Morrisey said.
As the federal government marked the nearly 30-day shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture — which oversees the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — released a post over the weekend “No benefits will be provided” November 1st.
The SNAP programformerly known as food stamps, helps with feeding about 275,000 West Virginia residents, or one in every six residents of the state.
The Mountaineer Food Bank serves 48 counties in West Virginia. Facing Hunger serves 12 counties in the state as well as parts of Ohio and Kentucky. All donations to the organizations through this fundraiser will be split 50% to each organization, Morrisey said.
Morrisey said the money the state is paying to support food banks comes from funds that “came in from the COVID era and have been sitting there.” He did not name the exact fund, saying only that it was one of the state’s emergency funds.
Some of the money coming from the state will be paid out as early as Wednesday, Morrisey said. He didn’t know exactly how much would be made available immediately, but said it would be at least “millions of dollars upfront to each of the food banks.”
“[That’s] Just to make sure they have the resources to start buying food and doing those things, and then we’ll make an assessment based on that [individual] Donations,” Morrisey said. “We will communicate in real time, but we want to get the upfront funds out to start the process.”
To address the expected influx of needs across West Virginia in the next few days and weeks, Morrisey said the state’s National Guard will also be activated. State Adjutant General James Seward said the activation would be for up to 200 National Guard members. Depending on the requirements, it is likely that not all 200 will work at the same time.
Seward said the Guard’s mission will be to meet needs arising from both food banks and the state’s 211 emergency line. This could include providing food deliveries or setting up mobile food pantries in communities where there are no existing food organizations.
Caitlin Cook, director of advocacy and public policy at the Mountaineer Food Bank, said people from her organization have already had conversations with the Guard. It’s likely, she said, that the partnership will prove helpful in supporting smaller community partners who often lack staff but are available in places of high need.
Morrisey’s announcement Tuesday came after Democrats in the state House of Representatives urged him to operate emergency funds to make SNAP payments for the month of November as families prepare for Thanksgiving.
Last week the The governor allocated $1.1 million of funds already earmarked for nutrition programs in the state and urged people to donate to food banks. In the letter, Democrats called Morrisey’s moves “Band-Aids” that would aid temporarily. “Systematic change and comprehensive assistance are critical at this moment,” they wrote. “And we must act now.”
That $1.1 million for food banks was allocated during the state legislative session and was intended to support their work throughout an entire fiscal year, according to Cook. However, the most urgent need now is to purchase food for immediate distribution, leaving funds unavailable for future needs.
“Obviously, food purchasing power is the most important thing that food banks and pantries can have access to right now,” Cook said. “And that’s exactly what Governor Morrissey has done with these two actions.”
But factors are compounding and it could be hard to tap the purchasing power of these foods given increased demand across the country. Nutrition organizations have concerns have already been expressed about the challenges of accessing protein-rich, well foods for their customers in normal times.
With all 50 states now experiencing increased food insecurity due to the SNAP pause, this could become even more hard.
“We’re talking about different groups of people right now that we’re responsible for feeding and hopefully nutritious, healthy meals,” Cook said. “There are federal employees who aren’t getting paid, there are people who aren’t getting paid [won’t] They receive their SNAP benefits, but there are also people whose main source of food assistance is constantly food banks and food pantries – they don’t receive SNAP. Now the system they rely solely on is under additional pressure.”
Earlier Tuesday, more than two dozen Democratic-controlled states sued the Trump administration for Refusal to fund SNAP during the government shutdown. The food stamp program helps feed approximately 42 million people nationwide. The states are asking a federal judge to require Trump to fund the program with emergency reserve funds.
Meanwhile, West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey joined a coalition of 18 Republican attorneys general calling on Senate Democrats to pass a clear, continuing resolution to “save SNAP benefits.” The AGs sent a letter to U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY.
“It’s time for Democrats to step up to the plate and join Republicans to pass a clean, permanent resolution to help those who need help most,” McCuskey said in the release. “The American people should not be pawns in this game that has gone on for far too long. Now is the time to act.”
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