1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

In Goochland, where you live, 1,400 people and 700 households rely on SNAP benefits, also known as food stamps, to make ends meet. In the city of Charlottesville and the surrounding Albemarle county, where I live, 10,700 people and 5,500 households rely on SNAP. And in Lynchburg, where your district office is, 12,000 people and 6,500 households do. These people are our friends and neighbors. They are kids in our children’s schools and parishioners in our churches. However, starting November 1, social services offices across the state will stop issuing SNAP benefits. Altogether, in the state of Virginia, more than 850,000 people are going to lose their benefits. Last week, the Secretary of Agriculture said the program lacked sufficient funds to cover November SNAP benefits due to the shutdown. *The Trump administration can address that shortfall.* A SNAP contingency fund exists, and the administration has the legal authority to transfer money for nutrition programs to supplement that contingency fund. What are you doing to ensure the residents of your district will have enough to eat in November? Are you advocating that the Trump admin use those funds? Are you getting back to work drafting a CR that will pass the senate and end the shutdown? Are you donating your salary (since you’re not actually working) to help feed your neighbors?