PHOENIX — Gov. Katie Hobbs is allocating $1.8 million she has left over from federal COVID funds to provide at least some help to the nearly 900,000 Arizonans who won’t get food stamp benefits in November.

In a prepared announcement Wednesday, the governor said $1.5 million of that will be divided up among food banks across the state, which are expected to be hard hit once the benefits dry up.

Hobbs acknowledged that is just a fraction of the more than $161 million that now goes to Arizonans. It also compares with the $45 million St. Mary’s Food Bank, the largest in the state, already gets in donations.

But the governor said she hopes to leverage more aid, including by encouraging people to donate directly to food banks and volunteer there. And Hobbs said she is calling on retailers, gr

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