Anti-Hunger Advocates Push For State Budget To Include SNAP Boosts

Harrisburg PA

18 June, 2022

4:01 PM

Description

By NCPA Staff, NorthCentralPA.com June 18, 2022 Seniors and people with disabilities may see an increase in their SNAP benefits if the current 2022-2023 state budget proposal receives approval. A group of anti-hunger advocates from Feeding Pennsylvania, Hunger Free Pa., Just Harvest, and other groups met on June 15 to show their support for the proposal. The current budget proposal allocates $14.3 million in state funds to increase monthly minimum benefits from $20 to $35 for seniors and people with disabilities who use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In addition to helping individuals who rely on SNAP to survive, the investment contributes to local economies and food retailers, producers, and small businesses. In May 2019, the USDA published a study on the influence of SNAP on the economy in the time leading up to, during, and after the Great Recession. According to the study, SNAP redemptions could have a greater economic impact than many other forms of government spending per dollar spent. SNAP can also reduce strain on charitable food sources by making fewer people need to utilize these resources. "While our food banks strive to provide nutritious food for all Pennsylvanians facing hunger, our work is only a fraction of what the federal nutrition programs can accomplish. For every meal our food banks provide, SNAP provides nine," said Jane Clements, CEO of Feeding Pennsylvania. SNAP helps nearly a million seniors and people with disabilities purchase food. While it is a federal program and funded primarily by the federal government, states determine eligibility and issue benefits. "I thank God for whatever I can get and $20 is a start, but try to spend $20 dollars these days with the prices so high. Milk is $4, bread $3, American cheese is $6.99, and a pound of bologna is $5.99. That is as far as I can make it go for a month," said Janet, a 70-year-old SNAP recipient from Pittsburgh whose story was shared by Just Harvest. "Senior citizens deserve a good meal, just like the rest of the population. Please raise the minimum SNAP allotment and help seniors like me afford more healthy food. Twenty dollars is nowhere near enough to really help with today's prices." Inadequate food access and chronic nutrient deficiencies can increase risks for chronic diseases, hospitalization, poorer overall health, and can increase health care costs. Applications for SNAP and other public assistance programs can be submitted online at www.compass.state.pa.us or by phone at 1- 866-550-4355. On-site County Assistance Office (CAO) services are available if clients cannot access online services or need assistance that cannot be accessed through the COMPASS website, the myCOMPASS PA mobile app, or by calling the Customer Service Centers at 1-877-395-8930. NorthcentralPa.com provides the region with reliable, relevant, and real-time news, covering weather, community news and events, crime, police activity, local, regional, and national alerts, and PennDOT-reported road construction and conditions. We report on local and regional politics, offer a platform for nonprofits to report their news and events, and share obituaries. Scanner reports let readers know what's happening outside their homes the minute it happens.