Advocates, food security organizations and partners across the Northeast rally to protect critical food benefits that support local economies and help families buy groceries.

As Congress deliberates a budget reconciliation bill that would drastically cut funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid, advocates across the Northeast —including Project Bread, Children’s HealthWatch, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, The Greater Boston Food Bank, Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Worcester County Food Bank, and others —have joined together to raise the alarm. 

During a collective SNAP Day of Action on April 30th, advocates are urging federal lawmakers to stand firm against proposals that would jeopardize food access for low-income families, and a key source of revenue for farms and food retailers. 

Budget reconciliation proposals before Congress include drastic cuts to SNAP benefits, including shifting costs to states in an unprecedented change to the program’s structure. The cuts would largely fund tax cuts for wealthy households and businesses. These proposals are especially alarming at a time of deep economic uncertainty, as SNAP is one of the most effective tools to help families and local economies navigate recessions. 

Families across the Northeast are already struggling with rising costs, farmers are reeling from recent federal cuts to local food programs for schools and food banks, and local grocers and retailers depend on SNAP dollars to support their businesses and workforce.

In Massachusetts, over a million residents receive SNAP to put food on the table. 31.5% of Massachusetts’s SNAP participants are children, 24% are older adults, and 28% are severely  disabled. 

SNAP is our nation’s most effective and efficient anti-hunger program; it increases food security, lifts children out of poverty, and reduces health care costs. The program also helps children and families connect with other vital food resources, including school meals, WIC, and Summer EBT. 

“Food is not a luxury. SNAP is a lifeline for so many families who are working hard to make ends meet and are still not able to keep up with rising food costs and the overall high cost of living in Massachusetts,” said Erin McAleer, President and CEO of Project Bread, the leading statewide food security organization in Massachusetts. “Our ability to put food on our tables is under attack, but this Day of Action is a time to lift our collective voice and let our lawmakers know that we will not rest until all Massachusetts residents can have dignified access to the food they need each day.” 

“SNAP is a critical investment in our children’s futures,” said Charlotte Bruce, Director of Policy at Children’s HealthWatch. “Our research shows that when families can count on SNAP, they’re 22% more likely to afford enough food for everyone and 28% more likely to pay for medical expenses without sacrificing other basic necessities. Cutting SNAP funding would be devastating for children’s health, creating long-term consequences that extend far beyond childhood hunger to impact educational outcomes, mental health, and overall development.”

“SNAP is a crucial safety net that helps over 1 million MA residents to meet their most basic nutrition needs.” said Georgia Katsoulomitis, Executive Director, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute. “Rather than cutting SNAP and giving tax breaks to billionaires, we should be strengthening the program. If very low income families with children, older adults, persons with disabilities and struggling workers lack access to the most basic human need of food, how can we in good faith as a nation say that we are providing opportunity for all?  We need to live our values. And this does not reflect the stated values of our nation.” 

Andrew Morehouse, Executive Director of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, explains, “The proposed 20% SNAP cut would eliminate 19 million meals annually for the 194,000 individuals who currently receive them in western Massachusetts.  Last fiscal year, our Food Bank provided the equivalent of 14.2 million meals.  There’s no way the Food Bank could make up for this loss of SNAP benefits.”

“SNAP is a proven program that has been our country’s most important defense against hunger,” said Catherine D’Amato, President and CEO of The Greater Boston Food Bank. “Food banks and food pantries throughout the country do not have the capacity to replace the number of meals that will be lost because of these proposed changes to the SNAP program. Our research shows that nearly 60% of people receiving SNAP benefits in the Commonwealth also report going to a food pantry, indicating that even current benefit levels are not enough for many of our most vulnerable neighbors.”  

“SNAP benefits play a critical role in people’s health and well-being,” said Jean McMurray, CEO of Worcester County Food Bank. ” According to Feeding America, SNAP benefits provide 9 meals for every one meal equivalent provided by food banks. In addition, SNAP provides people with two essential things: purchasing power at the supermarket and the ability to choose the food their families want for dietary needs and cultural preferences.”  

“The SNAP program is remarkable because of the many groups of people it impacts,” says Debbie Callery, Executive Director of the Merrimack Valley Food Bank. “SNAP provides essential food to people struggling to make ends meet, it provides a significant amount of business to local grocers and retailers, and it alleviates strain on charitable emergency food programs. Few, if any, food banks in the country would be able to make up the gap created by the proposed cuts to SNAP – we are all working at full capacity just to keep up with the increasing need as it is.”

SNAP is an important revenue source for 5,500 retailers in Massachusetts. Every $1 in SNAP benefits generates up to $1.70 in economic impact during economic downturns. In Massachusetts, SNAP brings more than $200 million into the local economy each month. Across the Northeast in one month alone, $1 billion in SNAP benefits support jobs and revenue in agriculture and retail sectors.

The modest increase in SNAP benefits in 2021 lifted nearly 2.3 million Americans out of poverty – reducing the overall poverty rate by 4.7%. Child poverty dropped by 8.6% thanks to the increase. The power of SNAP to improve the food and economic security of low-income folks is indisputable. Any cuts to SNAP benefits will increase hunger and poverty.

Proposed cost shifts could require Massachusetts to cover over $260 million annually between 2026 and 2034, a significant blow to the already-strained state budget. Most states, including Massachusetts would be unable to absorb these additional costs, forcing cuts to other state-funded programs or to SNAP benefits or eligibility. 

Advocates call on federal lawmakers to reject any cuts or harmful changes to SNAP and instead support the food security and economic viability of our communities. Massachusetts residents are invited to join this call to action today.

-Project Bread