Call Your Legislator Today to Fight $40 Billion in SNAP Cuts
September 17, 2013 | Written By: Healthy Schools Campaign
An estimated 210,000 students could lose eligibility for free school lunch.
This week, the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on a new farm bill that includes $40 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). For many Americans, SNAP is the first line of defense against poverty and malnutrition, and nearly half of all Americans enrolled in SNAP are children.
According to Bob Aiken, President & CEO of Feeding America, up to six million Americans could lose their SNAP benefits entirely, which could have immediate and devastating consequences for many families facing poverty. In addition to the cuts to benefits for individuals and families, an estimated 210,000 students could lose eligibility for free school lunch.
For many students, the free lunch they receive at school is the only full nutritious meal they will receive all day. Without access to healthy food, students are more likely to suffer from difficulty concentrating and more serious health problems that inhibit their ability to learn.
Today, a number of national food advocates are coming together to reject the proposed cuts to SNAP in the Farm Bill for a national call-in day. Please call your representative and fight a measure that will exacerbate malnutrition and food insecurity among our nation’s most vulnerable citizens.
Our friends at Feeding America have supplied a toll-free call-in number you can use to contact your representatives and voice your support for important federal programs fighting the serious hunger epidemic. If you wish to show your support, please call 866-456-8824.
Callers are advised to use the following message: “I urge you to vote NO on the House nutrition-only farm bill to cut $40 billion/10 years from SNAP. This bill would increase hunger in America.”
For more information on the issue of food insecurity in America and the proposed changes to the Farm Bill, please read the USDA’s most recent report on food insecurity in America. The proposed bill is available in full on the House of Representatives website.
