Date: May 23, 2019
Time: 4:00 pm
Republicans in the House and Senate are proposing to slash more than $230 billion from SNAP and school nutrition programs in order to fund more tax handouts for the wealthy and billion-dollar corporations. But it’s far from a done deal.
SNAP is not only our most effective anti-hunger program, it plays a crucial role in reducing poverty and improving health and economic outcomes. It’s also linked to better education outcomes and self-sufficiency, and plays an important role in supporting rural communities.
SNAP is one of the most cost-effective government programs in existence. Every dollar spent on SNAP generates $1.80 in local communities. Cuts to SNAP and school nutrition programs will have devastating consequences for generations to come.
Individual states currently pay a portion of the cost of administering SNAP, while the federal government pays the actual benefits. Implementing a $230 billion cut could force states to take on a portion of the cost of nutrition benefits for the first time, a radical change in the program that could lead to drastic cuts, increasing wait times for approval for benefits, or put a huge squeeze on states leading to slashed investments in other programs.
Cutting SNAP (and Medicaid, another right-wing target) also makes it harder for eligible families to obtain free or reduced-price school meals, summer food assistance for school-aged children (Summer EBT), and WIC benefits. School meal programs and Summer EBT automatically enroll eligible children using SNAP and Medicaid, while WIC agencies use automated systems to check for SNAP or Medicaid eligibility. In addition, the House Budget Committee has put forth numerous specific budget-cutting proposals, including a $12 billion cut to free school breakfast and lunch programs, affecting 24,000 schools nationwide.
Cutting funding for nutrition programs in order to pay for some of Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax handout―mostly to the wealthy and corporations―is an abomination.
In Broader, Bolder, Better, Elaine Weiss of the Broader, Bolder Approach to Education campaign and former Massachusetts education secretary Paul Reville make a compelling case for a fundamental change in the way we view education. The book builds upon nine years of research by the Broader, Bolder Approach to Education, a national initiative endorsed by more than 60 policy experts and leaders from across the country. It draws on case studies of effective integrated student support efforts in twelve diverse communities to illustrate the variety of strategies that can be adopted locally.
Join Weiss and others for a discussion of Broader, Bolder, Better and the need for a large-scale expansion of community-school partnerships in order to provide student supports from cradle to career.
What: Book Talk on Broader, Bolder, Better: How Schools and Communities Help Students Overcome the Disadvantages of Poverty
Who: Elaine Weiss, author, Broader, Bolder, Better
Christian Dorsey, Chair, Arlington County Board
Joy Kirk, teacher, Frederick County, VA, Public Schools
When: Thursday, May 23
4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Eastern
Where: Economic Policy Institute
1225 Eye St. NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005