Food program faces drastic cut
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance could lose $193 billion over 10 years
State and federal food assistance programs help a lot of people feed their families.
But those same programs may face a funding slash with President Donald Trump’s proposed budget – which would cut a quarter ($193 billion) of the budget from the Supplemental Nutrition Assis- tance Program over the next decade, according to reports.
Joanne Ellis, CEO of the Yuba-Sutter Food Bank, said if that happens, the local food bank will see a rise in clientele and perhaps face difficulties filling their needs.
“We’re in a waiting game right now,” Ellis said recently. “We’re trying to remain optimistic.”
According to Ellis, 38 food pantries pur-
chase goods from the food bank, which also takes part in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Commodity Supplemental Food Program. The CSFP is aimed at helping improve the health of low-income elderly people at least 60 years old.
“If that program goes down the tubes, the people in Yuba and Sutter counties will really be hurting,” Ellis said.
Ellis said the nonprofit is waiting to see the outcome of the budget. If CalFresh (federally known as SNAP) is hit, she said Yuba-Sutter Food Bank will work to utilize other avenues like fundraising and donations. For now, Ellis and staff are working to get the word out and helping the area food pantries.
“If they don’t have us, they don’t have anything,” she said.
The level of food benefits a household can receive is dependent on family size, income, and monthly expenses, according to the CalFresh website.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture wesbite, households can use SNAP benefits to buy breads and cereals, fruits and vegetables, meats, fish and poultry, dairy products, and seeds and plants which produce food for the household to eat. The SNAP benefits cannot be used to purchase beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, tobacco, hot foods, or nonfood items like pet food, soap, paper products, and household supplies.
The Yuba County Public Assistance website offers a chart that shows the maximum amount in CalFresh benefits that can be received each month based on household size. For example, a oneperson household could receive a maximum amount of $194 in benefits each month; a family of four could receive up to $649 in benefits.
In Colusa County, an average of 1,532 people use CalFresh – an increase of 8.6 percent from the 2016-17 count of 1,411.
Elizabeth Kelly, director of the Colusa County Department of Health and Human Services, said particularly younger children are more likely than adults to receive assistance.
“In California, about 62.2 percent of low-income children ages 0 to 5, 58.7 percent of those ages 6 to 12, and 44.7 percent of those ages 13 to 17 received CalFresh benefits on average in any given month in reported data of 2014,” Kelly wrote in an email Monday. “Additionally, in 2014, nearly 31 percent, or
644,000, low-income seniors in California were food insecure. But according to the most recently available data, only 18 percent of our state’s eligible seniors participate in CalFresh.”
According to Kelly, the average food benefit to a low-income person in California is $142 per month, or $4.73 per day.
“Overall, food benefits to individuals and families with children is a basic need; our agency determines low income households who are eligible for food assistance, which is a huge responsibility that we take extremely seriously, and we do all we can to ensure a low income individual and/or family get their basic food needs met when they come in for help,” Kelly said.
If the president’s proposed budget cuts to the food assistance program goes through, Kelly said the government will ultimately be deciding who ultimately gets to eat.
Should the Congress decide to move forward with the proposed SNAP cuts, it seems a fundamental
basic need will be taken away,” she said. “Food insecurity is real, it’s real for individuals, the disabled, seniors, and families with children – cutting a basic food assistance program will only result in a major crisis for our most vulnerable low income populations.”
Jennifer Vasquez, director of Yuba County Health and Human Services, said she wouldn’t be able to comment on the effect Trump’s cuts to food assistance programs could have locally, but for the Appeal-Democrat to contact her once the budget is approved and takes effect.
“CalFresh helps to provide lowincome households with acquiring nutritious foods. Without the availability of CalFresh, many of these individuals would go hungry,” Vasquez said in an email Monday. “Our department also encourages CalFresh households to utilize their benefits for purchases which contribute to good health including fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy and whole grains.”
Main number....................
EDITOR
Steve Miller.......................
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Andrew Cummins.............
REPORTERS
Jake Abbott....................... Patrick Groves................... Josh Gutierrez................... Chris Kaufman.................. Rachel Rosenbaum........... Kayla Webster...................
COMMUNITY
Leticia Gutierrez...............
SPORTS
Bruce Burton, editor.......... Andy Arrenquin................. Sports scores.....................
PHOTOS
Chris Kaufman, Editor.......
COPY DESK
Josh Kendrix..................... Harold Kruger....................
NEWSROOM FAX NEWSROOM EMAIL
Accounts Receivable......... Classified Fax.................... Accounts Receivable.........