As Washingtonians continue to face economic hardships from ongoing inflation and high food prices, SNAP remains one of the most effective ways to reach kids with the food they need. It’s especially important for the tens of thousands of Washington kids experiencing food insecurity today.
But recently, the rhetoric around SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, has become rooted in myths and misconceptions. In reality, SNAP is one of our nation’s most powerful tools to end hunger and Congress has the opportunity to protect and strengthen it in this year’s Farm Bill legislation.
SNAP benefits, which can only be used to purchase groceries, are modest at just around $6 a day per person. Yet they do so much more than fill an empty stomach. Research shows that kids who get nutritious food through SNAP are healthier, do better in school and are even more likely to graduate.
The SNAP program is a lifeline for our neighbors with the fewest resources and the highest need. The last thing lawmakers in Washington should do is make it harder for them to put food on the table.
I urge Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Washington's sole member of the House Committee on Agriculture, to follow the facts and evidence and fight for a Farm Bill that provides support and resources for our neighbors, not more red tape from Washington, D.C.
Madeleine Vistica
Tacoma
