Increasing hunger is a policy choice. The Big Ugly Bill already imposed the largest SNAP cut in the program’s history, and now, with the shutdown, millions more are at risk of losing access to the nutrition program when funding is depleted in two weeks.
The administration can―and must―take steps to protect SNAP benefits. SNAP running out of money would be catastrophic. Nearly 1 in 8 people, including 16 million children and 8 million people with disabilities, would go without the food assistance they need.
Two-thirds of the money needed to partially fund another month is in SNAP’s contingency fund, which must be used when regular funding falls short. The contingency fund has $6 billion, which is still short of the $8 billion needed to fully fund SNAP recipients per month. The administration can use other measures to ensure families get full November benefits―and they must act ASAP to give states guidance and enough time to get families the help they need to put food on the table.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration, via the United States Department of Agriculture, moved $300 million to WIC, the nutrition program that serves women, infants, and children. It’s time for the administration to do the same for SNAP, by tapping funds that are allowed by law to be used for this purpose.
You can view a recording of CHN’s training webinar here. Please also see the slides here,
The Census Bureau will release new poverty, income and health insurance data on September 13-15. This data will cover the pandemic year of 2021, a year in which COVID cases surged early, plunged and then rose again by year’s end. How did people fare, and what differences were there by age, race/ethnicity, and income? Did the Child Tax Credit and other pandemic aid help? And while the survey data to be released in September only covers 2021, what other data is available to tell us about what is happening now?
This webinar will show you how to find and use the 2021 national, state and local data to be released in September, how to make use of other and newer data showing changes in poverty by month, and how many were unable to afford enough food or struggled to pay regular expenses through August of this year. You’ll learn how to navigate changes in the Census Bureau’s website and tools.
You’ll get an expert economic assessment about where we are now, and learn how to use all the available information – some specific to your state or locality – to make the case for investments to reduce racial disparities and to help people with low incomes get ahead.
The webinar will be recorded; all registrants will get the live link, with opportunities to ask questions, and will also get the recording, slides, and follow-up resources.
The webinar will be close-captioned.
You can view a recording of CHN’s training webinar here. Please also see the slides here,