YAKIMA, Wash. — The Yakama Nation has declared a state of emergency, saying many families are struggling to put food on the table after federal SNAP benefits were cut by the Trump administration.

Tribal leaders say nearly 30% of members depend on those benefits, and the community is now desperate for help.

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“We have a lot of elders that take care of their grandchildren, and so this hurts not only our elders, but our young ones. The longer it goes, the harder it’s going to hit our people, and so we’re hoping that through the state of emergency, the governor will step in and possibly help out as much as he can,” said Gerald Lewis, Yakama Nation Tribal Council chairman.

To make matters worse, Lew

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