Pennsylvania food banks worry about SNAP cuts in federal government's proposed budget bill

CBS News

2 days ago

Food banks fear that if the budget bill heading to the U.S. Senate gets passed, thousands of people in Pennsylvania will go hungry.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program helps nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians put food on the table.
"For every meal the food bank provides, SNAP provides nine meals," said Jennifer Miller, CEO of the Westmoreland Food Bank.
Leaders from the Westmoreland Food Bank and Feed Pennsylvania came together with the secretaries of the Pennsylvania Departments of Human Services and Agriculture to discuss how proposed federal changes would impact the most vulnerable in the state.
They said the House-passed reconciliation bill would cut nearly $300 billion from the SNAP program through 2034.
"We have existing work requirements in SNAP, but this bill would make them more strict. And as a result, we believe at least 140,000 Pennsylvanians could lose access to food assistance that helps people be healthy enough to go to work in the first place," Pennsylvania Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Val Arkoosh said.
Food banks fear they will see substantially more people lining up for food.
"We are not equipped to absorb the massive demand that would result from reduced access to federal nutrition programs. Food banks cannot replace the scale, the reach and the stability of the SNAP program," Miller said.
"If enacted, these cuts would eliminate more meals per year distributed by the entire charitable food network in this country," said Julie Bancroft, CEO of Feeding Pennsylvania.
State Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said losing SNAP dollars would also hit farm families.
"Roughly 25 cents of every grocery dollar spent goes straight back to the farm, 25 cents for every dollar for food purchased at the grocery store," Redding said.
Arkoosh said the proposed cuts would cost the state over $1 billion more annually.
"The result would be devastating for Pennsylvania families and for our economy," Arkoosh said.
Many believe the fight is not over, though.
"You all have a role in contacting your senators, your congressperson, letting them know how this impacts our commnity, our neighbors, our friends," Westmoreland County Commissioner Ted Kopas said.