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Second Harvest Heartland Raises Alarm Over Potential SNAP Cuts
A federal program that helps low-income families buy groceries is facing the biggest cut in its history and now, local food banks are sounding the alarm.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that cuts $290 billion over 10 years to federal farm and nutrition programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The cuts are aimed at reducing the deficit and shifting funds elsewhere.
Food banks like Brooklyn Park’s Second Harvest Heartland are concerned that the cuts will drive more people to visit food shelves.
“Last year in Minnesota we saw nearly nine million visits statewide to food shelves,” said Second Harvest Heartland Chief Operating Officer Sarah Moberg. “That number has been steadily increasing, and dramatic cuts to SNAP like the ones that were announced this morning, will just force that number to go up and it quickly becomes just not sustainable.”
Second Harvest Heartland Chief Operating Officer Sarah Moberg speaks to CCX News outside Second Harvest Heartland building.
The bill needs to be passed by the Senate before it can be signed into law.
SOURCE: CCX MEDIA
