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SNAP matters for Johnson County
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The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest federal nutrition assistance program, designed to help low-income households purchase food. SNAP provides monthly benefits that can only be used at authorized grocery stores and farmers markets. To receive SNAP benefits, an individual must have an income that is below 160% of the Federal Poverty Level. For example — in 2025, a single parent with two children is eligible if their annual household income is less than $42,640.
SNAP keeps our community strong
In September 2025, SNAP provided approximately $1.7 million worth of food to 9,864 Johnson County individuals: that’s over 6% of all the people in our county.
SNAP supports our community in multiple ways:
- It supports individuals. When families don’t have to worry about where their next meal comes from, they can better focus on their education, work and health.
- It helps the economy. USDA research estimates that every dollar of SNAP benefits generates $1.54 in economic activity. As SNAP funds are spent locally, SNAP contributes $2.6 million/month to Johnson County’s economy.
- It keeps our community healthy. SNAP helps prevent hunger from spiraling into broader crises of homelessness, poor health and unrecoverable debt.
How are SNAP benefits being threatened?
Community leaders are appropriately sounding the alarm about SNAP benefits. Many households went hungry during the delay in SNAP benefits during the recent government shutdown. No local food pantry system can function at the same scale as SNAP.
The continuing resolution ending the shutdown expires Jan. 30, leading to another possible shutdown. Also, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act cuts SNAP by $186 billion over the next decade. The eligibility changes for SNAP are causing some families to lose SNAP support entirely. OBBBA also includes a requirement that states pay a share of the program’s costs. This will cost the state of Iowa tens of millions of dollars every year.
Johnson County Board of Health’s strong support for SNAP
It is critical to ensure that all eligible people have timely access to SNAP benefits to prevent food insecurity, support child, family, and community health, and support our economy. We urge our federal and state leaders to protect SNAP.
What You Can Do
Donate to local food banks and food pantries
The Johnson County Food Access Network is a United Way based coalition of the local food pantries. All money and food donations are distributed to food pantries in Johnson County. See https://www.unitedwayjwc.org/food-access for more information.
Contact your elected officials
Write to your U.S. Representatives and Senators, urging them to act to protect SNAP. To find your U.S. Representative, visit house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative. To contact Iowa’s senators, visit: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
SNAP is a critical part of our social safety net, ensuring individuals in our community have enough food to eat. It is foundational to health, productivity and community well-being.
Dr. Melanie Wellington and Jamie Gade, Johnson County Board of Health members, wrote this on behalf of the board.
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