The City of Worcester announced Thursday the creation of a fund aimed at helping recipients of a federal food aid program set to run out of funding Saturday.

The program in question is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , which provides benefits to low-income households to help buy groceries.

In Worcester, more than 25 percent of the city’s population are SNAP recipients, according to data from the Department of Transitional Assistance.

More than $1 million has been provided for the newly established fund, which will be overseen by the social services organization, the United Way of Central Massachusetts, City Manager Eric D. Batista told an audience at City Hall Thursday afternoon.

Of the funds, $250,000 was donated by the city, with United Way submitting a mat

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