(Image via CBS News)
Staff Editor: Gwen Pichette
Email: gpichette@umassd.edu
President Trump threatened to withhold Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), more commonly known as food stamps, from millions of Americans until the government shutdown ended, blaming Democrats.
What is SNAP?
SNAP is a federal safety net program with eligibility based on income, household size, and expenses. As many as 260,000 retailers like supermarket chains and grocery stores accept these benefits and get reimbursed for doing so.
In a post on Truth Social, a social media platform that is owned by Trump, he wrote “SNAP BENEFITS, which increased by Billions and Billions of Dollars (MANY FOLD!) during Crooked Joe Biden’s disastrous term in office (Due to the fact that they were haphazardly ‘handed’ to anyone for the asking, as opposed to just those in need, which is the purpose of SNAP!), will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before!”
But the White House gave conflicting information about Trump’s threat.
When press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked by a reporter whether the government would defy a court order, she responded:
“No. The administration is fully complying with the court order. I just spoke to the president about it. The recipients of these SNAP benefits need to understand it’s going to take some time to receive this money, because the Democrats have forced the administration into a very untenable position. We are digging into a contingency fund that is supposed to be for emergencies, catastrophes, for war. And the president does not want to have to tap into this fund in the future. And that’s what he was referring to in his Truth Social post.”
This contradiction has caused mass confusion, with many anxiously waiting for the verdict for food-assisted programs this November, especially with the holidays right around the corner.
The court order that Leavitt was referring to, is an order by a federal judge for the Trump administration to dip into an emergency fund before cutting SNAP off.
But this $5.25 billion emergency fund would only be able to fund just over half of November’s benefits, which will cost the government $9 billion. This means that food stamp recipients will then only get half of the benefits compared to what they usually receive. This assistance is also expected to be delayed.
At a hearing, the chief U.S. District Judge of Rhode Island, John McConnell said that “SNAP benefits have never, until now, been terminated” and that “The United States has in fact admitted that the contingency funds are appropriately used during a shutdown, and that occurred in 2019.”
It has now been over a month since the US’s longest shutdown began on October 1, as Democrats and Republicans continue to dig their heels in. At the time of writing, Trump is signing the bill to end the shutdown.
42 million Americans were expected to lose their SNAP benefits and worry about going hungry. Most recently, the Trump Administration will require millions to reapply for SNAP as a measure against “fraud.” No further information about the reapplication process was given at this time.
But amid this chaos, charities, food banks, and other organizations are swooping in to offer a helping hand.
Robert Lewis Jr., president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Boston (BGCB), a youth services organization provides nearly 300,000 meals and snacks annually—a service which will be a godsend in lieu of SNAP benefits.
In an interview with ABC News, he spoke about his experience with speaking with fellow members of the community and how terrified they were: “I talked to a group of parents on Friday night, and the thing that really hit me is how scared they are. They said they feel like there’s so many other things to be worried about, but they’re worried about, ‘Are we going to be able to feed our kids? Are we going to be able to provide for our young folks?'”
UMass Dartmouth Food Resources
For those of you who have SNAP and/or have friends and family who depend on it, there are resources for securing food.
For students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community who are in need of food, stop by the food pantry on campus, Jeanne’s Cupboard, located next to Woodland Commons. All food is free, and documentation is not required for pick up. You simply place your order online and select a time to pick up in person.
Jeanne’s Cupboard’s states on their webpage:
College students who experience food insecurity often struggle to support themselves while working, attending classes, and dealing with other life issues. Jeanne’s Cupboard hopes to minimize food insecurity while UMass Dartmouth students work toward completing their education.
Temple University’s Hope Center also has extensive coverage on the unraveling SNAP distribution situation and what students like you can do.
Other food pantries surrounding UMass Dartmouth:
You can use findhelp.org to find assistance near you, and also look on the Mass.gov website.