"On November 1, 42 million Americans faced heightened food insecurity when the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) halted benefits for the first time in its history due to a manufactured political crisis. In Massachusetts alone, 1.1 million residents, including 335,000 children, lost $240 million in monthly food assistance. Nonprofits quickly mobilized-extending hours, opening emergency pantries, and fundraising-falling into the ongoing trap of charity standing in for government responsibility."
"In Massachusetts, the state government also set up a Food Insecurity Taskforce and allocated $22 million. But make no mistake, these were stopgap solutions. Meanwhile, the $186 billion in cuts to SNAP passed by Congress in July mean the nation's food security system's inadequacies remain. To use Massachusetts as an example again, an estimated 175,000 residents statewide are expected to lose SNAP benefits, according to the Massachusetts Law Research Institute."
SNAP benefit payments stopped on November 1, immediately increasing food insecurity for 42 million Americans and removing $240 million in monthly aid from 1.1 million Massachusetts residents, including 335,000 children. Nonprofits extended hours, opened emergency pantries, and raised funds while the Massachusetts government created a Food Insecurity Taskforce with $22 million, but those efforts were temporary. Congressional cuts of $186 billion to SNAP will cause long-term benefit losses for many, overwhelming charitable networks that deliver far fewer meals than SNAP. Many recipients are elderly or disabled and depend on benefits as essential nutrition.
Read at Nonprofit Quarterly | Civic News. Empowering Nonprofits. Advancing Justice.
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