CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Governor Patrick Morrisey has sent a formal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) waiver request to the federal government to take away soda from the program.
“Today is a big step,” Morrisey said a recorded video Tuesday.
The SNAP program provides food benefits for low-income families for what is designed to be healthy food. Morrisey says nutritious items were always supposed to be what qualifying citizens were getting.
“I’ve talked about the fact that with SNAP, the ‘N’ should stand for ‘nutrition.’ Well, now it’s going to, even more than you’ve seen in the past,” Morrisey said.
Morrisey says his administration is ensuring state residents getting SNAP benefits will get better options than before.
“We’re promoting healthy bundles. That’s fresh produce and lean meat and good opportunities for some hot foods for West Virginians for some products that you’ve never been able to have before,” Morrisey said. “This is the way we have to do it. We have to get West Virginia healthy again.”
This request is part of Morrisey’s “Four Pillars of a Healthy West Virginia” initiative that he announced when he took office, which also includes the daily “Mountaineer Mile.”
“Let’s get out there. Let’s walk. Let’s live healthy, purposeful lives, and let’s keep making progress,” Morrisey said.