SNAP Funding Cuts and its Impacts

There have been some devastating hits to nationwide food security in the last couple of weeks with the news that SNAP funding and other government-assisted programs will be inaccessible on or after November 1st due to the government shutdown. SNAP serves 41 million people across the country, for whom any disruption or reduction in benefits can create immediate hardship, directly affecting their ability to access food and other essentials. For Champaign County, we know that over 30,000 individuals currently receive SNAP benefits and have limited resources to afford food.

As many know, SNAP funding helps supplement food budgets for many of our shoppers, staff, and community members. Adding all the cumulative cuts to federal and non-profit funding for essential programs, this leaves more people struggling to make ends meet while local soup kitchens and emergency agencies are already operating at capacity.

This pause in funding is not only a frightening reality for many people but also creates significant financial hardship for food co-ops, local and regional family farms, and other independent businesses that benefit from the SNAP shoppers and the economy it creates. Each month, the Co-op sees more than 1,300 customers using SNAP and Link Match which makes up more than $35,000 of monthly sales for our store cushioning payroll, operating costs, and community programming. Our Link Match program has given out $70,000 in local food this year but is directly tied to matching SNAP purchases. This cut not only will impact small businesses but we will also see broader economic ramifications. For instance, while Walmart lobbies against SNAP funding, they capture 25% of SNAP market share totaling $25 billion a year. Food insecurity is a shared reality across our communities and lack of funding has a rippling effect that damages the foundations of our food system and health of our economy.

It is our hope that we can rally together as a community, as SNAP recipients, food co-ops, farmers, and soup kitchens to advocate on behalf of SNAP and try our best to fill some of the gaps. We have put together some actions you can take to use your voice or pocketbook to make a positive impact.

1. Sponsor a Co-op Family - In response to the need, we have launched the Sponsor a Co-op Family Initiative to support our Food For All members during this challenging time. Owners and shoppers can donate in $25 increments, which will go directly to Food For All Owners in need. Recipients will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis and can apply for assistance here. Our goal is to raise funds throughout the month of November - or as long as funding allows - to help ease the financial burden that so many are facing.

2. Donate to our Food For All Program - Our program gives discounts to every time they shop but funding for this program is very tight and we are looking for additional donors. You can donate here or round up at the registers during November to benefit Food For All.

3. Volunteer at Jubilee Cafe or Local Soup Kitchens - Jubilee Cafe is seeing a 30% increase in attendance and is in need of more volunteers to cook and serve food. There is also Daily Bread Soup Kitchen, Wesley Food Pantry, HOPE Pantry, and many more.

4. Food Pantries Services - If you are in need of food pantry services, free pantries, mobile markets, check out the Food Resources, courtesy of the CU-PHD that lists locations and hours of available pantries.

5. Ways to Save at the Co-op - We've listed all of the different discounts and deals available each day, so that you can save more money.

6. Write to your Congressperson -  Ask them to urge USDA Secretary Rollins to “release funds available to USDA in the SNAP Contingency Reserve to be used to fund November SNAP benefits and issue clear guidance to states on how to navigate benefit issuance. Additionally, please urge USDA to use its statutory transfer authority or any other legal authority to fully fund November benefits.”

7. Support Local - Continue to shop at the Co-op and at the indoor Champaign-Urbana Winter Farmers Market to support local farms and organizations that manage additional SNAP programs.

8. Field Day Sale - Our Field Day Sale is happening all month with proceeds benefiting NATIFS, an indigenous nonprofit that builds native food systems. Stock up on low-priced staples and if you have more to share, donate some to some local pantries.