Feeding America Stresses Crucial Need for SNAP Benefits

By CnAgri2012-07-26 19:29:10 Print

Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger relief organization, is deeply concerned that the Farm Bill recently approved by the House Agriculture Committee would increase child hunger. The bill cuts $16.5 billion from the Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP), which provides food relief to low-income individuals, nearly half of whom are children.

Proposed cuts would remove two to three million individuals from the SNAP program; an additional 500,000 households would have their SNAP benefits cut by $90 per month; and nearly 300,000 children would lose their free school lunch meals because of coordination with their family's SNAP benefits. Feeding America is especially worried about the effect these cuts would have on the 1 in 5 children who live at risk of hunger in our nation.

SNAP, previously called the Food Stamp Program, is a crucial safety net for low-income children who often are at risk of hunger. About 49 percent of SNAP households include children, and these households receive 71 percent of all SNAP benefits.

Feeding America's network of food banks serves nearly 14 million children each year. Food banks are already experiencing tremendous strain in the wake of the recession. If the proposed cuts to SNAP take place, food banks would be unable to make up for the loss of benefits to children and their families.