1.1 million Mass. residents at risk of losing food benefits next week due to the government shutdown

More than a million Massachusetts residents could lose their food benefits next week if the federal government shutdown continues.

Gov. Maura Healey and other local Democrats called on President Trump to release billions of dollars to continue funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. About 1 in 8 U.S. residents get an average of $187 a month through the program, which is entirely funded by the federal government.

No other president has let SNAP benefits lapse, even amid a shutdown, Healey said.

" President Trump is making a choice because right now, sitting in Washington, is a contingency fund of billions of dollars that the president can use to make these funds available next week to relieve the anxiety that so many people are experiencing around the country, including in Massachusetts," Healey said in a press conference on Friday.

In Massachusetts, Healey said around 300,000 SNAP recipients are children. Hundreds of thousands of others are people with disabilities.

SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, is the country's largest anti-hunger program. Massachusetts receives about $240 million monthly from the federal government for the program, which officials say can't be covered by the state budget.

U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, who represents the central part of the state, called the potential SNAP shutoff an "act of retaliation and revenge" by the president.

"Republicans are shutting down SNAP to create political leverage by inflicting pain on working families," he said in a statement.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey said at a separate press conference that the potential cuts are a moral failure for the Trump administration.

"While the most vulnerable of Americans can't and won't be able to put food on their kitchen table, Donald Trump is building a $300 billion ballroom next to the White House," Markey said. " There's no lack of food in the richest country in the world. This is a complete lack of conscience shown by the Republicans and the MAGA supporters all across this country."

Meanwhile, the Trump administration and Republicans are blaming Congressional Democrats, who say they won't vote to end the shutdown unless Republicans agree to extend health care tax credits that will keep insurance premiums from spiking.

U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, appearing alongside Markey on Friday, said the school nurses she's talked to say the number one issue children report to them isn't illness; it's hunger.

"We know a hungry child can't learn," she said. "So even before the 'Big Betrayal Bill,' and even before this Republican manufactured government shutdown, hunger was a crisis."

Many SNAP beneficiaries stood to lose benefits due to new requirements under Trump's massive tax and spending law signed this summer. In Massachusetts, Healey said around 150,000 people will be cut off because of the changes.

The governor's office said the state's Department of Transitional Assistance is working with recipients to discuss changes to their benefits. More information is on their website.

Meanwhile, Healey announced Friday that a new program through the United Way will take donations to help support people who are losing food assistance.

Those facing immediate hunger can call or text Project Bread’s Food Source Hotline at 1-800-645-8333 to receive information about food resources in their area or talk with a Project Bread counselor.

WBUR's Chris Van Buskirk and Rachell Sanchez-Smith contributed to this report.