On Monday, we warned you that the federal government shutdown could spell disaster for thousands Pennsylvanians who receive monthly food benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which is run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one of the federal agencies that shut down in late December over the border wall dispute. News outlets have been detailing how millions could lose food assistance if the government shutdown continues and criticizing th

Two recent developments in the federal government could spell disaster for thousands Pennsylvanians who receive monthly food benefits. If President Trump keeps the government shut down through February, as he recently suggested, monthly food benefits could stop. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one of the federal agencies that shut down in late December as part of President Trump’s plan to force the American

The House Health Committee recently approved a measure (H.B. 1659) that would impose mandatory work requirements for all able-bodied food stamp recipients. The legislation is now being fast-tracked for consideration before the full House. Will you join me in the fight against this bill? Mandatory work requirements sound reasonable … until you know the facts. One in seven Pennsylvanians currently use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps, to help

You may have seen the recent news, as reported by The Associated Press, that more than 1 million low-income residents in 21 states could soon lose their government food stamps if they fail to meet work requirements that began kicking in this month. Among the states affected by these changes is Pennsylvania. Hunger-Free Pennsylvania has been working with members of the Pennsylvania Food Security Coalition to ensure residents know what they need to do. Our goal is to ensure eve

Policy wonks could say that they have been thrilled these past two weeks. Congress spent a great deal of time dealing with specific issues related to nutrition standards, and finished with a historic joint committee hearing that focused on the interplay between the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other public assistance programs with the consequences of getting a job, or one that pays more. But while policy wonks may have been thrilled, those who operate

As advocates of anti-hunger programs in Pennsylvania, we know that these programs are a worthy investment. The author of the post below, Dr. M. Ray Perryman, makes the case that in addition to working to end the suffering caused by hunger - these programs are benefitting us all economically. We couldn’t agree more. According to Moody’s Analytics, every $1 in SNAP (food stamp) spending generates $1.70 in increased economic activity. This means that the more than $2.7 billion

As the debate around funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, commonly called “food stamps,” continues at the federal level, real people continue to get caught in the crossfire. As many as 1.8 million Pennsylvanians, including 740,000 children, already lost some of their food-aid benefits when parts of SNAP expired last month. In Congress, elected leaders remain at loggerheads over a path forward in 2014. Maybe stories like this will help to guide

Sunday morning is my typical grocery shopping day. The time of day, on this day of the week, makes for a quick in and out. But this Sunday was unlike others. The store was busier and the crowds were bigger. It turned out to be the day before the computer system that runs the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, commonly called “food stamps,” shut down erroneously in 17 states, including Pennsylvania. When I finally got to the register, there were two young l

The news keeps getting worse on the anti-hunger front. Demand for a key anti-hunger program that serves low-income and homebound senior citizens continues to grow, with the number of individuals awaiting benefits now more than double what it was at this time last year, new figures show. At the end of October, 3,590 Pennsylvanians were on the waiting list for the federal Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), which provides life-sustaining meal deliveries and nutrition se

Approximately 49 million Americans a year suffer from hunger and food insecurity. And today, if it’s even possible, their lives just got that much harder. The 2009 federal stimulus bill included vital aid to families affected by the economic slowdown, increasing benefit allocations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, commonly called “food stamps.” Those increases expire today. In Pennsylvania, 1.8 million residents, including 740,000 children, will l