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Congress must reject any and all funding cuts to essential nutrition programs

If the Farm Bill to be considered in the House Committee on Agriculture on May 23 becomes law, it will mean a cut of nearly $30 billion in future SNAP benefits over a decade.

Such cuts are unconscionable. For many children, they will make learning more difficult and lead to negative health outcomes. They will force families and older adults to choose between putting food on the table and paying for other expenses such as rent, utility bills, or prescription drugs. They will also harm our economy, removing the stimulative benefits of SNAP and even hurting farmers and ranchers along the way.

SNAP is the most effective anti-hunger program in the U.S. It reduces hunger by 30% and provides nutritious meals to one-quarter of America’s children.

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The House bill makes these cuts by limiting the USDA’s ability to update the Thrifty Food Plan, which determines SNAP benefit levels, to reflect the real costs of a nutritious diet, based on science, along with reflecting food prices that remain stubbornly high. This will make it tougher for families experiencing food insecurity as well as the food banks that aid them. These would be the largest cuts to SNAP benefits in almost 30 years if enacted. In addition, these changes will trigger more than $500 million in cuts to Summer EBT, which provides grocery benefits to children in low-income families during the summer when schools are closed, along with $100 million in cuts to The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which provides food for food banks and food pantries to distribute to individuals and families.

The House bill also would allow states to let private corporations take over determining eligibility for SNAP. Where this has been tried, replacing merit-based staff resulted in corporate skimping on careful help to people applying for or renewing benefits in order to maximize profits. It would also reverse previously enacted steps to reduce agriculture-caused greenhouse gas emissions.

During this time when many families grapple with the cost of housing and food, Congress must do everything in its power to provide relief to those who need it most.

Click “Start Writing” to send a message to Congress urging them to reject any and all cuts to nutrition programs in the FY2025 Farm Bill.

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Our Children are in Danger: A webinar about increased hunger, poverty, and other serious threats to children and their families because of the pandemic

November 16, 2020 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

View a recording of this webinar here.

Since May, the number of poor children in the U.S. has grown by 2.5 million.  Parents report their families are going without enough to eat.  Millions of households are on the brink of eviction and can’t afford to pay for their basic living needs.  When families don’t have adequate access to the internet, children are shut out of education.  The Senate and the Trump Administration have allowed children’s urgent needs to go unmet by failing to agree to more help for families.

Now, as Congress returns for a post-election session, you are needed to show them they must act – and soon. Join CHN, First Focus Campaign for Children, and RESULTS for Our Children are in Danger: A webinar about increased hunger, poverty, and other serious threats to children and their families because of the pandemic.

You’ll hear from Deborah A. Frank, M.D., Founder and Principal Investigator of Children’s HealthWatch. Dr. Frank is a nationally recognized expert on the impacts of economic and social factors on very young children. You’ll hear from parents Kimberly Mitchell and LaShon Marshall about their experiences caring for children during the pandemic. And you’ll hear analysis of new research findings on how children are faring from Indi Dutta-Gupta, Co-Executive Director of the Georgetown Center on Poverty & Inequality, and a leading authority on policy that alleviates poverty and inequality. You’ll also hear about the kind of relief Congress must pass from Cara Baldari, Vice President of Family Economics, Housing and Homelessness at First Focus Campaign for Children. Cara’s work centers on building the political will for a national commitment to reduce child poverty in the United States. Deborah Weinstein, Executive Director of the Coalition on Human Needs, will be the moderator.

You’ll get reliable information about how children and families have been affected in the pandemic, including alarming racial disparities. And you’ll also get current information about Congressional proposals for reversing this damage – and how to use it to get our children out of danger.

This webinar will be close-captioned. All registrants will be sent the full recording, slides, and links to important resources.

 

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Date:
November 16, 2020
Time:
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Event Category:
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Website:
https://chn.peachnewmedia.com/store/streaming/seminar-launch.php?key=9SVOQiBLYfw1uDGF630d8qFfY%2B2qgUYAqWwOgGwmsBs%3D

Organizer

Coalition on Human Needs