Today, people continue to require help in obtaining one of life’s basic needs – food. Last year, 45 million (or 1 in 7) Americans received food assistance each month costing the government $78 billion, with the average household receiving $287 in assistance per month.
The average household using food stamps has a monthly income of $731 and three-fourths of those households include a child, a disabled person or someone older than 60.
Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program, formerly known as food stamps, has increased 70 percent since 2007 according to the Congressional Budget Office. Food stamp enrollment certainly shot up during the Great Recession.
SNAP is a federal aid program administered by the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Republicans in Congress, however, increasingly oppose food stamps and are looking to make budget cuts to the program.
Although the nation’s debt is rising, the economy remains slow, leaving little faith that some Americans can survive without assistance.
“By cutting critical nutrition assistance programs, Congressional Republicans further codify their indifference for those struggling to get into the middle class,” said Indiana Congressman, Andre Carson. “Rather than cutting these essential programs, we should be focusing on getting Americans back to work, making college more affordable and creating an economic environment that empowers citizens to be less reliant on this type of assistance.”
The legislation behind this debate is the farm bill. The bill will reduce the federal deficit by $23.6 billion. Part of the savings comes from cutting $4.5 billion from food stamps.
The farm bill is an all-encompassing piece of legislation comprising everything from farm subsidies and crop insurance – which have an indirect impact on food prices – to energy, forestry, food stamps and school lunches.
The largest portion of the farm bill in dollars is directed towards the SNAP program.
Other issues in the bill include conservation programs that affect land, water and soil use; agricultural exports and food aid, including humanitarian assistance to other nations; and programs promoting renewable fuels such as ethanol among others.
SNAP cuts are being spearheaded by Republicans, but the farm bill is also seeing interest from Democrats as well. If approved, the bill will solidify an agricultural policy for the next five years.
Though many of these arguments over budget cuts and cuts to food stamps are happening in Washington, many wonder how this will affect Hoosiers.
The Indiana Family Social Services Administration declined to comment on how Republican efforts to cut SNAP funding could affect those who receive food stamps.
Despite this, more than 900,000 Hoosiers receive SNAP benefits. In April 2012, $118,708,029 was issued for food assistance. Based on these numbers, many Hoosiers could be affected.
“An estimated one in four children in Indianapolis go to sleep hungry each night, and the 7th Congressional District ranks 11th in the country for households facing food hardship. SNAP is the best tool at our disposal, and it is an effective pathway out of food insecurity for Hoosier families,” said Carson.
Today, the SNAP program helps many Americans, however grassroots organizations oftentimes pick up the pieces when SNAP is not enough. If food stamps were to be cut, food banks such as Central Indiana’s Gleaners may be hit hard.
“If the SNAP program is cut, it will have a significant impact on the food banks and food pantries,” said Cindy Hubert president and CEO of Gleaners food bank. “People need to understand the issue. I just looked out my window and we have 50 or 60 people standing in line for food. We also have mobile pantries for the more rural areas. In Fayette County, by 12:30 p.m., the mobile pantry had already seen 380 families and there were still 100 families standing in line. The need is remarkable.”
Due to high unemployment, underemployment among other reasons, Hubert said Gleaners has already seen a 32 percent increase in demand for food – people just don’t have enough money to make ends meet.
Furthermore, Feeding America, a hunger relief charity, stated that emergency food from pantries is no longer being used to meet temporary, acute food needs. Pantries are now a part of households’ long-term strategies to supplement monthly shortfalls in food.
Susan Folmon, divisional social service director for Salvation Army Indiana said that her agency relies on the support of donors to continue aid to the needy, but said the recession has made donor giving difficult. Hubert agreed. The Salvation Army’s budget has been stretched and to ensure that the needs of Indiana residents are met, they had to become creative and utilized every possible source in the best way.
While some in government are debating on cutting assistance to a program that many Americans need, grassroots organizations are asking those who are financially fortunate and have adequate food to help others who don’t.
“The reality is, it could be me next week. When I am blessed it’s my privilege to help someone else,” said Folmon.
