Marissa N., 33, spends her days cleaning homes and her evenings caring for her two young children on the west side of Indianapolis. Her life has always been a careful balancing act, but lately, the scales have tipped further out of her favor.
“I’m doing the best I can, but the math isn’t mathing anymore,” Marissa said.
Since the recent changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the modest help she relied on to feed her family has become even less effective.
The state’s “Make Indiana Healthy Again” initiative introduced new rules for SNAP recipients. Among the changes, candy, soda and desserts can no longer be purchased with benefits, and asset testing, along with mandatory work requirements, has returned. These adjustments aim to promote healthier lifestyles, but for families like Marissa’s, the impact feels more like a punishment than an opportunity.
“It’s not that I want to buy junk food,” Marissa said. “But sometimes, those are the cheapest things to fill my kids’ stomachs. Fresh fruits and vegetables? They don’t last, and they don’t come cheap.”
Marissa recounted her last grocery trip, holding up a receipt as proof of the challenge.
“They’re saying eat healthy, but look at this,” she said, pointing to the numbers. “A head of lettuce is $3.50. A bag of chips is $1.50 … What do you think most of us are going to pick when we have $20 to last the week?”
These decisions are made even harder in neighborhoods like Martindale-Brightwood, where access to fresh, affordable food is limited. Grocery stores are sparse, and options for families on tight budgets often lean heavily on processed or packaged foods.
Even as families struggle, some small businesses say the changes haven’t drastically affected their sales. At Grammy’s Mini Mart, a neighborhood staple on the east side of Indianapolis, owner Aurelia Turentine noted that customers have adapted to the new rules.
“(The restrictions) don’t stop people from getting the snacks,” Turentine said. “I haven’t noticed a decrease because people are going to buy it anyway. They’re going to find a way.”
The adaptation doesn’t solve the deeper issue of food insecurity. Critics of the initiative argue that while promoting healthier eating is a noble goal, it doesn’t address the economic realities of families living paycheck to paycheck.
The effects of the SNAP cuts ripple through the community. Marissa now finds herself visiting food pantries when her benefits run out, but the reliance on charity leaves her feeling demoralized.
“I want to stand on my own two feet,” she said. “I just need the system to meet me halfway.”
The emotional toll of these challenges is evident. Marissa shared stories of skipping meals to ensure her children eat, of stretching staples like rice and beans across multiple meals and of explaining to her kids why they can’t have the snacks they see other children enjoying.
“It’s hard to look your child in the eye and say, ‘No, we can’t afford that,’” she said. “It makes you feel like you’re failing as a parent.”
Local organizations are stepping in to fill the gaps. The Community Alliance of the Far Eastside offers assistance programs, and churches and nonprofits have increased food drives. But these resources are stretched thin, and the demand only continues to grow.
Advocates say the SNAP changes are indicative of a larger systemic issue. Indiana’s push for healthier habits through restrictions assumes that the main barrier to health is choice, not access. For many families, the real issue isn’t unwillingness — it’s impossibility.
Marissa’s story is one of resilience, but also of frustration. Despite her best efforts, the barriers in her path seem insurmountable.
“I just want them to have a chance,” she said. “A chance to grow up healthy, to not worry about where their next meal is coming from. That doesn’t seem like too much to ask.”
As the state continues to implement changes under the “Make Indiana Healthy Again” initiative, families like Marissa’s are left wondering when — or if — they will see solutions that truly address their needs.
This reporting is made possible by a grant from the Indianapolis African-American Quality of Life Initiative, empowering our community with essential health insights. https://iaaqli.org/
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
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