Manchin, Capito Announce $462K To Evaluate SNAP Programs In West Virginia

Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin

August 30, 2021

Charleston, WV – U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $462,047 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. This funding will be used to evaluate West Virginia’s independent income database verification, which is used to confirm a household’s income before certifying that the household is eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. This data will then be used to improve SNAP programs in West Virginia and across the country.

“SNAP benefits provide vital support for West Virginians going through a hard time, and has been especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic when food insecurity rose across America and West Virginia. In 2017, 92% of eligible West Virginians participated in SNAP, demonstrating how effective our state is at reaching vulnerable communities. In order to ensure the benefits are reaching every West Virginian who needs it, our state utilizes an independent verification program to check eligibility criteria. This USDA funding will help evaluate this process, and I look forward to seeing the benefits of this investment as we continue to help West Virginians put food on the table for their families,” said Senator Manchin.

“Families who are most in need should be able to access healthy and nutritious food options, no matter what zip code they live in,” Senator Capito said. “As we make our way out of the pandemic, we must continue to ensure our nation’s food supply chain is bolstered, especially at the local level. The funding announced today will help strengthen West Virginia’s communities and better serve our state’s consumers and producers.”