President Trump released his budget proposal for 2018 earlier this week, that if approved would cut and cripple a number of vital safety-net programs, including SNAP. Trump’s proposal includes things like:
- Reducing SNAP spending by $213.5 BILLION over 10 years
- Partially replacing EBT benefits with a box of food commodities from USDA
- Penalizing large families by imposing a cap at 6 people per household
- Eliminating the minimum benefit
The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank was quick to act, submitting a strongly worded statement (Below).
We are deeply troubled by the President’s proposed federal budget released earlier this week, which takes direct aim at our country’s most important and effective anti-hunger program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (called CalFresh in California). These proposals to slash funding and dismantle the program would amount to over $200 billion in cuts over 10 years – equivalent to 30% of the program’s budget – through cruel and ill-conceived ideas like partially replacing benefits with boxes of USDA commodities, capping benefits for large households, and eliminating the minimum benefit. We recognize the harmful effect that this negative rhetoric has on our communities and the people we serve, and we continue to remain firmly committed to using our voice to elevate the importance of federal nutrition programs like SNAP for the 4 million Californians who rely on the program to nourish their families.
If you would like to help the Food Bank through these trying times, consider giving a donation, filling a volunteer shift, or following us on Twitter, Facebook, and/or Instagram.
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