Don’t Snip SNAP: What You Should Know
Tags: Advocacy, Food Insecurity, SNAP
At the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona (CFB), we see firsthand the impact that food insecurity has on our communities. Every day, families, seniors, and children rely on resources like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) to help put food on their tables. But recent proposals to cut SNAP funding could send shockwaves through Southern Arizona, leaving thousands unsure where their next meal will come from.
The Importance of SNAP
SNAP is more than just a food assistance program; it is the community’s first line of defense against hunger. In Arizona alone, over 900,000 residents depend on it to access healthy meals. It ensures that children, seniors, veterans, working families, and disabled adults near the poverty line can afford basic nutrition.
But beyond individual benefits, SNAP also strengthens our local economy to the tune of over $2 billion in local revenue in 2023, supporting grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and food suppliers.
If SNAP is Cut
Without SNAP, the burden of feeding those in need would shift to local food banks like ours – facilities that are already stretched thin.
And emergency food assistance, though increasingly vital, can’t match SNAP’s capacity – for every meal a pantry provides, SNAP offers nine. Cutting benefits would force more families into crisis.
Food insecurity doesn’t exist in isolation – it affects physical health, school performance, and overall well-being. With fewer SNAP benefits available, more families will be forced to make impossible choices: food or rent, meals or medicine.
Standing Together Against Hunger
These proposed SNAP cuts are not yet final, and there is still time for action. We urge our community members to stay informed, advocate for policies that protect food assistance programs, and support local hunger relief efforts.
At the Community Food Bank, we are committed to ensuring no one in Southern Arizona goes hungry, but we can’t do it alone. If SNAP benefits are reduced, we will need more volunteers, donations, and community support to bridge the gap.
Food is a fundamental human right, and we will continue fighting for a future where every Arizonan has access to healthy, nutritious meals.
What You Can Do
Please contact your local congressional representative and urge them to support complete federal funding for SNAP.
