Food Bank: ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ Will Deepen Hunger Crisis

Food Bank: ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ Will Deepen Hunger Crisis

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the so-called “big, beautiful bill’ on Thursday, a vote that local food banks expect will have a significant impact.

The bill includes changing eligibility requirements to SNAP, the official name for what was formerly known as the food stamp program.

Supporters of the bill claim it would help eliminate waste and curb abuse of government programs.

Food banks, like Second Harvest Heartland in Brooklyn Park, however, said the federal cuts will put more pressure on food shelves, which were already struggling to keep up with the growing demand.

“In 2024, the state of Minnesota had nine million food shelf visits, that is up from the year before, and the year prior to that and so it keeps steadily rising,” said Sarah Moberg, interim CEO of Second Harvest Heartland. “What we hear from our food shelf partners is it is difficult to keep enough food at the food shelf to meet even today’s current need.”

Second Harvest Heartland Interim CEO Sarah Moberg

Second Harvest Heartland said SNAP benefits for 45,000 Minnesotans would be eliminated and would be reduced for more than 100,000 other recipients.

Moberg said for every meal a food shelf provides, SNAP funding covers nine.

Food bank officials said they will work hard to make sure there is enough food to fill the gap, but they said that’s going to take everyone.

“Very quickly it’s going to turn to how do we come together as a community, and really show up for each other, whether that is through fundraising and donations, food donations, volunteer time, it will certainly take all of us,” said Moberg.

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SOURCE: CCX MEDIA