West Virginia Farmers markets Program that boosts families’ food buys runs out of funding

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia program that expands the purchases of lower-income families at farmers markets and food retailers has run out of funding, a sponsoring group said.

The SNAP Stretch program has benefited more than 2,000 families at 42 sites across the state this year, the West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition said on its Facebook page. But the group said it’s $150,000 budget has been exhausted “and families continue to ask about it every day.”

The program is an initiative of the coalition, the West Virginia University Extension Service and the West Virginia Farmers Market Association. It allows for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients to double their purchases. Funding for the program comes from federal grants and foundations.

The group said it hopes additional funding can be obtained through the federal CARES Act to help the program run through the end of the year.

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