UCC Justice Action Alert: Stop USDA from Restricting SNAP Benefits

Earlier this year the Administration posted a notice for proposed rulemaking through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to restrict states’ flexibility to provide vital nutrition support to people who struggle to feed themselves and their families. It is estimated this change to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would result in 755,000 people losing access to life-saving nutrition benefits.

This proposal is out of touch with the reality of struggling Americans. Taking food away from unemployed and underemployed workers won’t help them find work faster, it ignores the realities of many people who work inconsistent hours, lack access to transportation, live in areas where the economy has been slow to recover, or are unable to access employment and training programs—all of whom could fail to meet the harsh time limits imposed on SNAP recipients.

Our faith community is often right there on the ground helping families and people in our communities and congregations who don’t have secure access to food. Each day we live into the words from James, “If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” That work is vital and needs to be amplified by access to national nutrition programs such as SNAP.

Simply put, if this proposed rule change goes through, more people will go hungry. The best and most urgent way you can help is by writing a public comment opposing the proposed rule. The deadline for comments is April 2 and having a significant number of comments will impact the final rule. Each comment needs to be unique to be counted and reviewed, and we encourage you to share your story of how hunger and food insecurity impacts your community and congregation, and what would happen if more people were unable to get nutrition assistance. Be sure to include the docket number (Docket ID: FNS-2018-0004), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Requirement for Able-Bodied Adults without Dependents RIN 0584-AE57 in your comment.