Latest news with #AllisonO'Toole
CBS News
03-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Study shows the consequences of budget cuts to SNAP in Minnesota
As lawmakers in Washington consider a budget proposal to slash taxes, advocates in Minnesota are warning of the potential for devastating consequences for hundreds of thousands in the state. The non-partisan Food Research and Action Center says more than 458,000 Minnesotans rely on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits to put food on the table. The non-profit says SNAP also offers nine meals to every one that a local pantry can provide. The FRAC study also found that among the Minnesota households relying on SNAP benefits: 45% are with children 49% are with a person with a disability 35% have older adults in them 10,989 veterans rely on SNAP The CEO of Second Harvest Heartland, Allison O'Toole, says she fears the impact of potential SNAP cuts during the budget talks in Washington. "We've seen food insecurity rates skyrocket in the last 4 years. We're at an all-time high right now," said O'Toole. "We are in a hunger crisis already. If these proposals are enacted, it'll be catastrophic." To do her part, O'Toole is flying to Washington, D.C. this week to meet with U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and the House Committee on Agriculture to advocate for hunger relief policy. "I'm making a special trip [on Monday] because it's a critical time," said O'Toole. While cuts are not official yet, O'Toole hopes people will give money, food donations or service hours to Minnesota food shelves to prepare for what's a possibility. "This is a solvable issue and if there's one state that can do it, it is ours. We just need everyone to join forces to make sure we can do it," said O'Toole.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
One-quarter of Minnesota households with children are food insecure
Feeding America and Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank host Hungry to Help Lesson Plan for students at an Ohio elementary school on May 24, 2017, in Fairlawn, Ohio. Photo byfor Feeding America. One-quarter of Minnesota households with children are food insecure, according to research released Wednesday by the nonprofit hunger relief organization Second Harvest Heartland. The food bank's first-ever statewide survey, conducted in collaboration with Wilder Research, found that overall 19% of Minnesota households are food insecure. The majority of food insecure families are able to eat enough with the help of emergency food assistance, which includes both food shelves and government nutrition programs like SNAP. Five percent of Minnesota households don't get enough to eat, even with the help of emergency food assistance. Two percent of households don't have enough food, and don't receive any help. Minnesota food banks have yet to release the final tally of food shelf visits in 2024, but the number has climbed in recent years. In 2023, food shelves recorded 7.5 million visits, a historic high. Hunger relief organizations want additional funding from the state this year to address the growing use of food shelves, but money is tight — lawmakers and Gov. Tim Walz are looking for ways to cut costs to avoid a looming deficit. 'Hunger doesn't discriminate by political party or geography, and addressing it head-on should be something that both parties can rally behind next year and in the years ahead. The growth in demand we are experiencing is unsustainable,' Second Harvest Heartland CEO Allison O'Toole said in November in response to the state budget and economic forecast.
