The COVID-19 pandemic is a food security crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic is a food security crisis. Though it is impacting all Americans, the most vulnerable are being hit the hardest. During this pandemic, hunger programs should be strengthened not reduced.

Full funding of the Pandemic Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (P-SNAP) is a way support vulnerable Americans. It would authorize federal food aid benefits to replace free or reduced-price school lunches for eligible children whose schools were closed for more than five consecutive days.

On April 1, the Trump administration is set to impose rules changes that could push 700,000 people off the SNAP program. Fortunately, the D.C. District Court has issued a preliminary injunction blocking these changes referring to them as 'arbitrary and capricious.” The court's decision will be appealed.

Private individuals and organizations cannot mobilize the resources that the U.S. government can to support the one in eight Americans who live at risk of hunger.

Please urge Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst and our members of Congress to support full funding of P-SNAP and the suspension of the implementation of rules changes that weaken SNAP benefits.

Steve Panther

Iowa City