CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Officials say more than 1,000 West Virginians will lose their food stamp benefits starting next month.

The state Department of Health and Human Resources announced last year that it would reinstate a requirement calling on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients to meet a monthly work or training requirement of 20 hours per week or lose benefits.

The changes took effect in January but the waiting period ends May 1.

DHHR spokeswoman Allison Adler says an "outreach campaign" was started in October to contact the approximately 7,000 people at risk for losing their benefits.

Adler says on April 15, there were 1,566 cases closed, meaning those individuals will not receive SNAP benefits in May.

She says those individuals may contact their local DHHR before April 30 to have their case reviewed and have a last minute chance to save their benefits from being revoked.

There are nine counties affected: Kanawha, Berkely, Cabell, Harrison, Jefferson, Marion, Monongalia, Morgan and Putnam.

Kanawha County is expected to have more than 500 people who lose their benefits.

Local food pantries, such as Mountain Mission on Charleston's West Side, are preparing to feed extra mouths come May.

Executive Director John Roberts says the food bank has already started to see new faces and is getting ready for more.

Roberts says he is concerned with funding, because the organization has already had to dip into other resources last quarter to provide food for everyone who has come in.

If you would like to volunteer or donate to Mountain Mission, you can visit their website: mountainmission.com/