Food bank worries about looming food-stamp changes

Ball, Andrea. (Sept. 19, 2013). Food bank worries about looming food-stamp changes. Austin American Statesman. http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/local/food-bank-worries-about-looming-food-stamp-changes/nZ3Gk/?icmp=statesman_internallink_textlink_apr2013_statesmanstubtomystatesman_launch

Category of problem: Social program funding

Level of problem: State level

The article concerns:

Congress is considering tighter eligibility rules for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Capital Area Food Bank, which supplies 21 Central Texas counties’ food pantries, expects that tighter eligibility rules for SNAP will mean an increased demand on food pantries. The Capital Area Food Bank projects that food pantries and soup kitchens will not be able to meet this increased demand.

Why is this important to families/individuals OR how does it affect individuals/families?

Currently 3.5 million Texans are on SNAP. The new restrictions, which require adults to work or train for 20 hours per week and no longer guarantees assistance to families on other types of public assistance, will jeopardize access to the program for many.

What are your views on the issue/policy?

By looking at how organizations are affected by potential policy, we can sometimes get a more complete view of how policy will affect individuals. This article is a good reminder that making less people eligible for SNAP benefits doesn’t mean that less people need food assistance. If less people receive SNAP benefits, more pressure will be placed on organizations which provide food to the hungry. The fact that food pantries are preparing themselves for increased demand is proof positive that people need SNAP in order to put food on the table.

I’ve volunteered in soup kitchens and food pantries and have witnessed the bitter disappointment of people being turned away because the daily allotment of food gifts had been exhausted. In many places, people already wait for hours to receive the food they need to supplement their meals and many people already receive SNAP.

It’s a hard truth that our country is deep in debt, but cutting funding to social programs will not benefit us in the long run. Denying access to free or reduced lunch programs (which the new policies will do as well) will not help children perform better in school and will not help our country grow economically. We should spend less money on defense programs and more money on ensuring that our nation is fed. As long as there is hunger in our country, it seems ridiculous to continue spending money improving nuclear programs or launching rockets at camels. We need to fix what’s going on within our borders.