Proposed cuts to SNAP benefits could deepen hunger and hurt local economies, experts warn
2 weeks, 4 days ago

Proposed cuts to SNAP benefits could deepen hunger and hurt local economies, experts warn

Salon  

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has long been a crucial lifeline for millions of Americans facing food insecurity. “Cuts to SNAP would not only increase food insecurity but also shift the burden of food assistance to local governments and charities, which cannot fully meet the need,” the letter read, in part. The proposed cuts would further strain food banks, food retailers, and those serving vulnerable populations.” It continued: “Additionally, reduced SNAP benefits would hurt the broader economy. In areas where food retailers are already struggling, any reduction in SNAP benefits would have a catastrophic impact on businesses and the local economy.” We need your help to stay independent Subscribe today to support Salon's progressive journalism The Thrifty Food Plan, or TFP, which serves as the foundation for determining SNAP benefit levels, had remained unchanged since 2006. FRAC warns that the proposed cuts to school meals, in tandem with reductions to SNAP, would increase the number of children who experience food insecurity, thus perpetuating a cycle of poor health and educational outcomes.

Health Benefits Congress Food Insecurity Average Meal Snap Reduced Proposed Insecurity Snap Benefits Health Outcomes Dietary Guidelines Food Retailers Local Economies Local Food This Support Tfp Consumption Patterns Proposed Cuts Economies Cuts Deepen Hunger  snap  deepen  hunger  reduced  experts  hurt  warn  proposed  insecurity  economies  cuts  average  health  benefits  local  food  meal

History of this topic

USDA Cuts More Than $1 Billion Earmarked For Local Food In School Lunches
2 weeks, 2 days ago

USDA Cuts More Than $1 Billion Earmarked For Local Food In School Lunches

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING The U.S. Department of Agriculture has cut more than $1 billion in federal programs that gave schools and food banks funding to purchase food from local farms and ranchers ― a move that school lunch advocates say will take away free meals from millions of children whose parents are grappling with rising grocery prices. via Associated Press …

'Heartless': Trump’s $660 million school food cut is latest GOP attack on nutrition aid
2 weeks, 2 days ago

'Heartless': Trump’s $660 million school food cut is latest GOP attack on nutrition aid

Raw Story  

The Trump administration is cutting over $600 million from a program designed to help schools and child care facilities buy healthy food from local farmers, the GOP’s latest attack on poor families. “State officials were notified Friday of USDA’s decision to end the LFS program for this year.” Coincidentally, last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture celebrated National School Breakfast …

"Without essential support": Congressional cuts could leave nearly 360,000 kids hungry
1 month, 2 weeks ago

"Without essential support": Congressional cuts could leave nearly 360,000 kids hungry

Salon  

As Congress moves forward with budget reconciliation discussions, proposed cuts to safety net programs are raising concerns about their ripple effects — particularly on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC. While WIC itself isn’t facing direct funding cuts, a new policy brief from the National WIC Association warns that changes to Medicaid and the …

‘Needs to be hit’: GOP lawmaker says food stamps for kids are ‘goldmine’ for budget cuts
1 month, 2 weeks ago

‘Needs to be hit’: GOP lawmaker says food stamps for kids are ‘goldmine’ for budget cuts

Raw Story  

Rep. Andy Harris demanded work requirements for food stamps and Medicaid even though the majority of recipients are children, older adults, or people with disabilities. During a Monday interview on Fox Business, host Maria Bartiromo asked Harris how Republicans could slash the budget if over 70 percent of spending was mandatory. "You know, it's, yes, OK, so 76 percent of …

Why government can’t make America healthier by micromanaging groceries purchased with SNAP benefits
2 months ago

Why government can’t make America healthier by micromanaging groceries purchased with SNAP benefits

Salon  

President Donald Trump's pick for director of the Health and Human Services Department, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has announced a bold plan. And we're certain that adding to the restrictions that already limit access to SNAP benefits do little to make Americans healthier. Even when they get SNAP benefits, many Americans still struggle to make ends meet, and studies show …

House Republicans are looking to cut SNAP benefits in an attempt to reduce federal spending
2 months, 1 week ago

House Republicans are looking to cut SNAP benefits in an attempt to reduce federal spending

Salon  

House Republicans have proposed more than $5 trillion in cuts to social programs in an effort to “bankroll President-elect Donald Trump’s top priorities this year, including tax cuts and border security,” according to a new report from Politico. The list of spending reform options, first obtained by the outlet, proposes cuts to benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — …

Alaska’s SNAP failures highlight national struggles with food assistance
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Alaska’s SNAP failures highlight national struggles with food assistance

Salon  

Facing a persistent crisis in providing food assistance, Alaska has once again fallen behind in processing applications for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, leaving thousands of residents waiting for help to put meals on the table. Related Food insecure Alaskans struggle as food stamp backlog becomes untenable for staffers to process The lawsuit that prompted the injunction highlights a host …

The new normal? How inflation has wrecked how we shop for groceries
10 months ago

The new normal? How inflation has wrecked how we shop for groceries

Salon  

Early in the pandemic, the phrase “the new normal” started to be deployed with great frequency, almost as if insisting there was some semblance of normalcy about the situation would, in fact, make it so. On May 14, the Urban Institute released a new study highlighting how many families in 2023 relied on credit, including Buy Now, Pay Later options …

SNAP benefits fall short in 98% of US counties. Republicans still want to gut the program even more
10 months, 1 week ago

SNAP benefits fall short in 98% of US counties. Republicans still want to gut the program even more

Salon  

According to a new analysis conducted by the Urban Institute, a Washington, D.C-based think tank specializing in economic and social policy research, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits did not cover the cost of a modestly-priced meal in 98% of United States counties last year. This analysis, which was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, included data from …

As the American hunger crisis worsens, Republicans prepare to take a big bite out of SNAP
10 months, 2 weeks ago

As the American hunger crisis worsens, Republicans prepare to take a big bite out of SNAP

Salon  

On Valentine’s Day, during a hearing of the House Agriculture Committee, Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, a Republican from Pennsylvania, proposed a funding framework for the Farm Bill that included a $30 billion cut in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits over the next decade. The proposal would limit future updates to the Thrifty Food Plan, which is used by the United …

14 GOP-led states have turned down federal money to feed low-income kids in the summer. Here’s why
1 year, 1 month ago

14 GOP-led states have turned down federal money to feed low-income kids in the summer. Here’s why

Associated Press  

Lower-income families with school-age kids can get help from the federal government paying for groceries this summer, unless they live in one of the 14 states that have said no to joining the program this year. The reasons for the rejections, all from states with Republican governors, include philosophical objections to welfare programs, technical challenges due to aging computer systems …

Minnesota program to provide free school meals for all kids is costing the state more than expected
1 year, 3 months ago

Minnesota program to provide free school meals for all kids is costing the state more than expected

Associated Press  

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota’s program to provide free school breakfasts and lunches to all students regardless of income is costing the state more than expected because of a jump in demand. Tim Walz signed the legislation last spring, advocates said the free meals would ease stresses on parents and help reduce childhood poverty while lifting the stigma on kids …

"Unnecessary and unacceptable": Why the American hunger crisis could get worse in 2024
1 year, 3 months ago

"Unnecessary and unacceptable": Why the American hunger crisis could get worse in 2024

Salon  

Just a few days before Thanksgiving, new data from the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey showed that nearly 28 million people reported experiencing food scarcity in October — both the highest number of 2023 and the highest number recorded by the survey since December 2020. Food insecurity experts deemed that prospect a “looming hunger cliff” — and again and again …

Food insecurity shot up last year with inflation and the end of pandemic-era aid, a new report says
1 year, 5 months ago

Food insecurity shot up last year with inflation and the end of pandemic-era aid, a new report says

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — An estimated 17 million households reported problems finding enough food in 2022 — a sharp jump from 2021 when boosted government aid helped ease the pandemic-induced economic shutdown. Wednesday’s report by the USDA’s Economic Research Service also tracks families with “very low food security” — a condition it defines as families having to ration food consumption and where …

More students gain eligibility for free school meals under expanded US program
1 year, 6 months ago

More students gain eligibility for free school meals under expanded US program

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Millions of additional students in schools serving low-income communities will be eligible to receive breakfast and lunch at no cost under a rule change announced Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At schools where 25% of families participate in income-based public benefits, such as the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, the federal government now will cover the cost …

More students gain eligibility for free school meals under expanded US program
1 year, 6 months ago

More students gain eligibility for free school meals under expanded US program

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. At schools where 25% of families participate in income-based …

SNAP is undergoing major changes starting in September. Here's what you need to know
1 year, 6 months ago

SNAP is undergoing major changes starting in September. Here's what you need to know

Salon  

If you're a recipient of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, it's important to know that there is a monumental change going into effect, effective Sept. 1. According to Candy Woodall with USA Today, "childless workers who are 18 to 50 years old will have to show they are working at least 80 hours a month or enrolled in an education …

College students struggling with hunger face potential loss of food stamp benefits
1 year, 8 months ago

College students struggling with hunger face potential loss of food stamp benefits

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Raised on welfare by his grandmother, Joseph Sais relied so much on food stamps as a college student that he thought about quitting school when his eligibility was revoked. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sais said, he missed an “important letter” and temporarily lost his eligibility in SNAP, the foundational anti-poverty program commonly known as food …

How Pandemic Aid Launched A School Lunch Revolution
1 year, 9 months ago

How Pandemic Aid Launched A School Lunch Revolution

Huff Post  

Students pick up lunch at the Albert D. Lawton Intermediate School in Essex Junction, Vermont, on June 9, 2022. via Associated Press Before he went to Congress, which was before he became Minnesota’s 41st governor, Tim Walz was a high school social studies teacher and football coach in Mankato, Minnesota, a small city in the state’s south, known as the …

Food insecurity already affects 12 million US homes — and reductions in SNAP benefits won’t help
1 year, 9 months ago

Food insecurity already affects 12 million US homes — and reductions in SNAP benefits won’t help

Salon  

Millions of Americans struggle to afford healthy meals and nutritious food. SciLine interviewed Hilary Seligman, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, on rising grocery prices, the misconceptions about hunger in the U.S. and how food insecurity diminishes school and work performance. Hilary Seligman: Over the last couple of decades, we've seen that food insecurity can have …

US families struggle following end of pandemic-era food benefits
1 year, 10 months ago

US families struggle following end of pandemic-era food benefits

Al Jazeera  

The US Congress has cut back expanded COVID-era food assistance benefits, creating strain for some low-income families. “Truly, it was.” But in December, Congress passed a spending bill that ended the expanded food benefits, known as emergency allotments, after February. “My son is eating solid food now, but I have to hold back because the benefits don’t last through the …

Federal ‘Work Requirements,’ Benefit Cuts Already Taking Effect For Millions This Year
1 year, 11 months ago

Federal ‘Work Requirements,’ Benefit Cuts Already Taking Effect For Millions This Year

Huff Post  

WASHINGTON ― Republicans and President Joe Biden are locked in a political fight over federal spending and whether Congress should tighten eligibility for food and health benefits. McCarthy has said that unless President Biden agrees to spending cuts and new “work requirements,” Republicans will refuse to allow the federal government to continue borrowing money to pay for the most basic …

‘People are suffering': Food stamp woes worsen Alaska hunger
1 year, 11 months ago

‘People are suffering': Food stamp woes worsen Alaska hunger

Associated Press  

EAGLE RIVER, Alaska — Thousands of Alaskans who depend on government assistance have waited months for food stamp benefits, exacerbating a long-standing hunger crisis worsened by the pandemic, inflation and the remnants of a typhoon that wiped out stockpiles of fish and fishing equipment. “People are struggling and having to make choices of getting food or getting heating fuel,” said …

“Poverty is a policy choice”: Minnesota kids cheer new law guaranteeing free school lunch for all
2 years ago

“Poverty is a policy choice”: Minnesota kids cheer new law guaranteeing free school lunch for all

Salon  

This article originally appeared at Common Dreams. But 1 in 4 food-insecure kids live in households that don't qualify for the federal free and reduced meal program, leading to "mounting school lunch debts in the tens of thousands of dollars," Minnesota Public Radioreported. "As a former teacher, I know that providing free breakfast and lunch for our students is one …

'Such cowards': GOP blasted over bill targeting food aid for the poor
2 years ago

'Such cowards': GOP blasted over bill targeting food aid for the poor

Raw Story  

More than a dozen House Republicans are expected to release legislation Tuesday that would impose more harsh work requirements on certain recipients of federal food aid, a clear signal that the GOP intends to target nutrition assistance in critical debt ceiling, budget, and farm bill talks. Dusty Johnson, the measure would "expand the age bracket for able-bodied recipients without dependents, …

'It's hard to focus': Schools say American kids are hungry
2 years ago

'It's hard to focus': Schools say American kids are hungry

The Independent  

Get Nadine White's Race Report newsletter for a fresh perspective on the week's news Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Congress temporarily made school meals free to all American schoolkids, but since …

Inflation bites: How rising food costs affect nutrition and health
2 years, 2 months ago

Inflation bites: How rising food costs affect nutrition and health

Salon  

Food for thought: Rising grocery prices affect food choices and nutrition, and ultimately health, and even the health care system. As health behavior researchers, we believe that many Canadians will undoubtedly feel the additional financial pressure at the checkout line, and many will eat less nutritious and cheaper food options. Research has shown that increased household food insecurity is strongly …

Children unable to afford lunch in more than half of state schools, survey says
2 years, 3 months ago

Children unable to afford lunch in more than half of state schools, survey says

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. It’s a scandal that in …

Experts warn of major impact on children’s health without proper nutrition at school
2 years, 5 months ago

Experts warn of major impact on children’s health without proper nutrition at school

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. To make change happen, please sign the petition by clicking …

The U.S. diet is deadly. Here are 7 ideas to get Americans eating healthier
2 years, 6 months ago

The U.S. diet is deadly. Here are 7 ideas to get Americans eating healthier

NPR  

The U.S. diet is deadly. Treat food as medicine There's a growing movement to integrate food and nutrition into health care, by providing healthy meals and groceries to patients to help prevent or manage diet-related illness.The task force wants to see this kind of work expand. "Produce prescription programs help improve diet quality and food security," says task force member …

Congress approves free student meal extension through summer
2 years, 9 months ago

Congress approves free student meal extension through summer

Associated Press  

Congress passed a bill Friday that aims to keep up the expanded, pandemic-era distribution of free meals for all students this summer. “Our action today staves off a dangerous hunger cliff: ensuring universal free meals for all children throughout this summer, while helping schools keep up supply chain snags and rising costs for the upcoming school year,” House Speaker Nancy …

Food banks warn of summer surge in demand unless free school meals extended
2 years, 9 months ago

Food banks warn of summer surge in demand unless free school meals extended

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Food banks expect a further surge in demand for help from …

States Scale Back Food Stamp Benefits Even As Prices Soar
2 years, 11 months ago

States Scale Back Food Stamp Benefits Even As Prices Soar

Huff Post  

Tara Kramer sits in her apartment with her cat Busy, Friday, April 8, 2022, in Des Moines, Iowa. Month by month, more of the roughly 40 million Americans who get help buying food through the federal SNAP program are seeing their benefits plunge even as the nation struggles with the biggest increase in food costs in decades. via Associated Press …

Some states slash food stamp benefits even as prices soar
2 years, 11 months ago

Some states slash food stamp benefits even as prices soar

LA Times  

Tara Kramer sits in her apartment with her cat Busy on April 8 in Des Moines. “All the memories from before the emergency allotment came rushing back.” Alex Murphy, a spokesman for Reynolds, noted the extra benefits were always intended to help people who lost jobs because of the pandemic and said, “we have to return to pre-pandemic life.” Murphy …

Millions of children will miss healthy school meals when pandemic relief expires
3 years ago

Millions of children will miss healthy school meals when pandemic relief expires

NPR  

Millions of children will miss healthy school meals when pandemic relief expires Enlarge this image toggle caption Karen Ducey/Getty Images Karen Ducey/Getty Images When schools pivoted to virtual learning early in the pandemic, the National School Lunch Program was thrown into chaos. And as part of pandemic relief legislation, the federal Food and Nutrition services agency waived the requirement that …

Gov't and charitable actions likely kept millions of Americans out of food insecurity during COVID
3 years, 6 months ago

Gov't and charitable actions likely kept millions of Americans out of food insecurity during COVID

Salon  

Despite the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the vulnerable in the United States, the percentage of Americans in food-insecure households held steady in 2020 at 10.5%, figures released on Sept. 8, 2021, show. First, food insecurity – the state of being unable to adequately provide food for yourself or your family – has become one of the leading, …

America is facing a pandemic of hunger
3 years, 7 months ago

America is facing a pandemic of hunger

Raw Story  

Demand at food banks and food pantries has dipped, but only slightly, as the job market rebounds and government stimulus programs put money in Americans' pockets, but the frayed safety net that is the emergency food system remains a lifeline for many still struggling families. Last week the Biden administration revised the thrifty food plan definition of basic food needs, …

Food stamp benefits to increase by more than 25% in October
3 years, 7 months ago

Food stamp benefits to increase by more than 25% in October

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s administration has approved a significant and permanent increase in the levels of food aid available to needy families — the largest single increase in the program’s history. Starting in October, average benefits for food stamps — officially known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP — will rise more than 25 percent above pre-pandemic …

Biden announces historic increase to US food stamps programme
3 years, 7 months ago

Biden announces historic increase to US food stamps programme

Al Jazeera  

US Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will increase by more than 25 percent beginning in October. United States President Joe Biden’s administration announced on Monday that it has approved the largest permanent increase to food stamp benefits – a boost that the White House and proponents of the move hope will help low-income families afford healthier food choices when stocking …

Food stamp aid to increase by more than 25% over pre-pandemic levels
3 years, 7 months ago

Food stamp aid to increase by more than 25% over pre-pandemic levels

LA Times  

The Biden administration has approved a significant and permanent increase in the levels of food stamp assistance available to needy families. A food assistance program used by more than 42 million needy Americans will substantially and permanently increase benefits starting next month, a record boost, just as the pandemic emergency expansion expires. “Ensuring low-income families have access to a healthy …

Free school meals for all children can improve kids’ health
3 years, 8 months ago

Free school meals for all children can improve kids’ health

Salon  

Recognizing that millions of U.S. children are at risk of hunger, Maine and California have approved funding to offer free school meals to all students within their state. The Universal School Meals Program Act would provide free healthy meals and snacks to all children in public and nonprofit private schools regardless of income. When children return to schools in the …

US hunger crisis persists, especially for kids, older adults
3 years, 11 months ago

US hunger crisis persists, especially for kids, older adults

Associated Press  

PHOENIX — America is starting to claw its way out of the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, but food insecurity persists, especially for children and older adults. “Now, the level of insecurity for some has grown more extreme, when you see real hunger — mom skipping meals to feed the family.” America’s yearlong food insecurity crisis has been felt …

Why Billions In Food Aid Hasn't Gotten To Needy Families
4 years, 2 months ago

Why Billions In Food Aid Hasn't Gotten To Needy Families

NPR  

Why Billions In Food Aid Hasn't Gotten To Needy Families Enlarge this image toggle caption Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images When schools shut down in the spring, that raised immediate worries about the nearly 30 million children who depend on school food. Sponsor Message School food programs have been working hard: …

Trump administration extends pandemic scheme to give school children free meals
4 years, 5 months ago

Trump administration extends pandemic scheme to give school children free meals

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Trump administration has …

'Children Are Going Hungry': Why Schools Are Struggling To Feed Students
4 years, 6 months ago

'Children Are Going Hungry': Why Schools Are Struggling To Feed Students

NPR  

'Children Are Going Hungry': Why Schools Are Struggling To Feed Students Enlarge this image LA Johnson/NPR LA Johnson/NPR Six months into schools' pandemic-driven experiment in distance learning, much has been said about whether children are learning. Every day," said Alyssia Wright, executive director of Fulton County Schools' nutrition program in Fulton County, Ga. "We come up with ways every week …

More free school meal vouchers is good news, but it doesn’t go far enough in tackling food poverty
4 years, 7 months ago

More free school meal vouchers is good news, but it doesn’t go far enough in tackling food poverty

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. This week, a government-commissioned review into …

What happens to the hungry when the SNAP program shrinks : The Indicator from Planet Money : NPR
4 years, 8 months ago

What happens to the hungry when the SNAP program shrinks : The Indicator from Planet Money : NPR

NPR  

When SNAP Gets Squeezed Enlarge this image Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images As the coronavirus pandemic continues to throttle the U.S. economy, millions of Americans are finding it increasingly difficult to feed themselves. One of the most effective government programs designed to combat hunger is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which used to …

Millions of children still without food aid months into Covid-19 crisis
4 years, 9 months ago

Millions of children still without food aid months into Covid-19 crisis

CNN  

CNN — Millions of low-income school children are still waiting receive federal help to buy food, even as the number of families having trouble affording groceries skyrockets. But even in states already participating in the Pandemic EBT program, millions of children haven’t gotten assistance – more than two months after schools closed. “It is concerning that it’s taking so long …

‘Unconscionable’ Trump administration cuts food stamps in middle of coronavirus pandemic
5 years ago

‘Unconscionable’ Trump administration cuts food stamps in middle of coronavirus pandemic

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Trump administration will …

Discover Related