How to Help the Millions of Americans Who Are Losing Their Food Assistance
On November 1st — tomorrow — 42 million people, including 16 million children, will be losing their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits. This is unprecedented and should not be happening. Here’s a quick explainer, and please scroll down for ways to help your neighbors (we are also matching donations up to $5000)…
Why are people at risk of losing their food assistance?
Because of the current government shutdown, federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will not go out on November 1st. Without monthly SNAP benefits, people with limited budgets will be forced to choose between buying groceries for their families and paying for other essentials, like rent, heat, and medication. The negative consequences are both immediate (hunger, stress) and long-term (higher burden of chronic diseases, increased healthcare costs, reduced preventative care, etc).
Don’t we have a back-up plan for crises like this?
YES, we absolutely do. Our tax dollars fund the SNAP program, and we have contingency funds to use in case of a government shutdown. Food assistance programs have not been impacted by previous shutdowns. This is a manufactured crisis by the current administration. Children and adults will go hungry — experts say this could be the worst hunger crisis in the U.S. since the Great Depression — for essentially no reason.
Who is at risk of going hungry?
Nearly 42 million Americans — or about one in eight people — use SNAP benefits to help buy food. Most of these households have children, which means the lapse in benefits puts 16 million children at risk of going hungry. According to the USDA, about 39% of SNAP recipients are children, while 20% are elderly and 10% are non-elderly individuals with a disability. Any of us could easily be needing this program if our circumstances were a bit different.
What about funding for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)?
A separate program, known as WIC, varies from state to state. Some states will be providing benefits in November; others will not be able to. WIC ensures that low-income parents can purchase food — including baby formula — as well as access prenatal care, nutrition education, and breastfeeding support. Nearly 7 million pregnant women, new parents, and young children depend on WIC. “Nearly half of all infants born in the U.S. benefit from WIC,” wrote the National WIC Association in a press release. “Any federal action that threatens this lifeline must be prevented at all costs.”
Is anyone in the government fighting back?
The USDA has contingency funds for SNAP and WIC, but the department issued a statement saying that it will not use the estimated $6 billion they have to keep these essential programs running. Democratic lawmakers are challenging the administration’s decision in court and urging the USDA to use the contingency funding. Some states are attempting to increase food assistance, but the USDA says it will not reimburse states that temporarily cover benefits.
What should I do if I’m about to lose my benefits?
You’re not alone. If you have remaining funds on your EBT debit card, they will not expire and you can still use them to purchase food. You can also reach out to local and state agencies for information about their own emergency food assistance — NPR has compiled a guide with emerging details on state-specific responses. You can visit 211.org or call 211 for help finding food assistance. Find Help offers a directory of food-aid programs by zip code. In NYC, City Harvest’s food map shows soup kitchens and food pantries that are currently distributing food, free of charge. And One Love Community Fridges maintain community fridges around the city. If you typically receive WIC, make sure to check if services are still available in your specific state – they may be.
HOW TO HELP
Please join us, if you’re able, to help provide important community care, doing what our government is failing to do right now.
* Donate to Feeding America or a local food bank. Feeding America is a national organization that distributes aid to food banks, and Find Help offers a directory of food-aid programs by zip code. Food banks are already straining to meet the needs of their communities, and food banks may now be forced to turn away people seeking food. Cash donations tend to be the most effective way to donate, since food banks often purchase items in bulk, discounted and tax free. We are matching readers’ donations up to $5,000. If you donate to an organization providing food assistance, simply forward your receipt, with subject line “donation,” to hello@cupofjo.com — thank you so much.
* Drop off food to local food banks or community fridges. You can use Fridge Finder to find a community fridge in your area. (Community fridges also often need to be cleaned, so also take the time to do that, if you can.) You can donate baby formula to families who need it, through the Free Formula Exchange, a nationwide mutual-aid network. In New York, here is an easy way to drop off food if you’re looking to do that. You can also volunteer at food pantries or other organizations; here’s one of many sign-up sites.
Here’s advice for donating food directly to food pantries, offered by food pantry volunteers (big thanks to Erin Boyle and her friend for this info):
1. Everyone donates Mac and Cheese in boxes, but it also needs milk and butter, which are hard to get from food banks.
2. Boxed milk is a treasure. Kids need it for cereal, which they get a lot of.
3. Everyone donates pasta sauce and spaghetti noodles.
4. Canned foods should be pop-top; otherwise, donate a can opener.
5. Oil is a luxury needed for Rice-a-Roni, which they receive in abundance.
6. Spices, salt, and pepper are a real gift.
7. Coffee and tea bags are caring gifts.
8. Sugar and flour are treats.
9. Fresh produce donated by farmers and grocery stores is essential.
10. Tuna and crackers make a good lunch.
11. Hamburger Helper goes nowhere without ground beef.
12. They get lots of peanut butter and jelly, but need sandwich bread.
13. Butter or butter spread is good.
14. Eggs are a commodity!
15. Cake mix and frosting make it possible to create a child’s birthday cake.
16. Dishwashing detergent is costly and is always appreciated.
17. Feminine hygiene products are a luxury, and women will cry over them.
18. Everyone loves Stovetop Stuffing.
* Make sandwiches for CHiPS. If you live in or near New York, make sandwiches for CHiPS, the community meal provider, food pantry, and shelter for women with young children in Park Slope, Brooklyn. CHiPS serves about 350 people every day, offering a sandwich alongside a hot meal. You can make sandwiches at home using this guide (invite friends! get kids involved!) and drop them off here. You can also donate or volunteer for them in other ways here.
* Contact your representatives to urge them to use the contingency funds they already have in place to keep SNAP and WIC running. A federal judge in Rhode Island issued a temporary restraining order to block the administration from suspending SNAP benefits; and a federal judge in Massachusetts ruled that the suspension is likely unlawful. But it’s not a done deal, especially since there are likely to be appeals and legal back-and-forth.
Here’s a script adapted from 5 Calls:
Hi, my name is _____ and I’m a constituent from [city, zip]. I’m calling to ask that [representative/senator name] pressure Trump to use USDA contingency funds to keep SNAP benefits flowing to the people who receive benefits in our state. Starving people to score political points during a government shutdown is cruel and causes needless suffering. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Here’s a script adapted from Chop Wood, Carry Water:
Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______. I’m calling to express my alarm that millions of low-income families who rely on SNAP and WIC are at risk of hunger because Republicans refuse to use the contingency funds they have to pay for SNAP. Republicans need to work with Democrats to pass a bill now to ensure that hungry Americans don’t lose their nutritional assistance. Thank you.
Thoughts? What else would you add? Please let us know any insights, if you have them, and if you need help with food assistance, please email hello@cupofjo.com and it would be our absolute pleasure to help get you and your family sorted. Thank you!
(Photo by One Love Community Fridge.)
Sources: Erin Boyle, NYMag, NYTimes, CNN, 19th News, The Hill, Politico, NPR.)
Source – Cup of joy
