It’s 1961. With their 15 kids in tow, Chloe and Alderson Muncy walk into the grocery store, knowing that for the first time in a long time, they will have enough food to feed their family. After surviving on dried beans and powdered milk from an existing program, it’s a welcome change for the family, the first in the country to receive government food assistance.
It’s 2018. Dana and her daughter Marley take turns picking out fresh fruit and vegetables to add to the growing pile of food in their cart. Dana, who juggles a part-time job, appointments for a recurring health issue and therapy for Marley’s speech and other potential developmental delays, relies on SNAP to keep her fridge and cupboards full.
The program that kept the Muncy family afloat is still around today, helping working moms like Dana. Known now as SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, it remains a vital lifeline for millions of Americans struggling to put food on their tables.
But SNAP is in jeopardy. On September 30, SNAP benefits are set to expire, and current proposals in Congress would make it harder for working parents like Dana to feed their families.
The repercussions would be far-reaching. In Pennsylvania and New Jersey alone, more than 2.2 million residents rely on SNAP for food. More than 63 percent of SNAP participants in Pennsylvania and nearly 70 percent in New Jersey come from families with children. And the effects of SNAP cuts would ripple into local economies as well, since experts estimate that every $1 in SNAP benefits generates $1.70 in economic activity.
No one deserves to go hungry. You can help make sure our neighbors have the resources they need to thrive at work, school and home. Raise your voice and tell your elected officials to support bipartisan SNAP provisions. You can also explore how to raise your voice with ours in support of other important issues facing our community and read more about the role SNAP plays in keeping local families fed.