Tuesday, September 22, 2020

We Must Act Now: ‘Hungry Families Can’t Wait’

Letter to the Editor, New York Times

“Congress and the Trump administration must act immediately to flatten the curve on our hunger crisis and get our economy moving by making increased investments in SNAP,” a reader writes.

"Families with children are experiencing alarming rates of food insecurity. Research shows that Black, Latinx and Native American households have been particularly hit hard.

"The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, serves as the country’s first line of defense against hunger. But current SNAP benefits are not nearly enough for parents to feed their children.

"Congress and the Trump administration must act immediately to flatten the curve on our hunger crisis and get our economy moving by making increased investments in SNAP. The next Covid-19 emergency package should include increases to the entitlement program’s maximum and minimum benefit levels.

"Hungry families can’t wait."

Luis Guardia
Washington
The writer is president of the Food Research & Action Center.