By Eric Aft, CEO, Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC
The House of Representatives voted this week to advance a budget resolution that, if translated into law, would enact cuts to Medicaid and federal nutrition assistance, potentially stripping critical benefits from tens of millions of low-income Americans.
Every day, Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina and our partners across Northwest North Carolina experience firsthand the profound and growing number of people seeking food assistance. These requests for help have reached record highs. Yet, even as we work tirelessly to be a source of support for our neighbors, we know that no food bank—no charitable organization—can replace the role of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—formerly known as “food stamps— in ensuring families, seniors, and working individuals do not go hungry.
SNAP is our nation’s most effective and responsive tool in addressing food insecurity. Critically, the program is elastic—expanding to support more people during economic downturns and naturally contracting when the economy strengthens. It ensures that people, in time of need, can purchase food in grocery stores, farmers markets, and other retailers—preserving dignity while putting food on the table. For every one meal our Food Bank provides, SNAP provides 9. It supports the economy, too, as every dollar in SNAP benefits generates about $1.80 in local economic activity. SNAP supports more than 9,000 retailers in North Carolina, which redeemed $3,974,947 in 2023.
Yet, misconceptions about SNAP persist. Some suggest it is a program of dependency, when in fact, most participants are working families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. In North Carolina, 80 percent of SNAP households included someone who is working an over 648,299 children in our state were helped by SNAP.
Maria, a single mother working full-time as a home health aide, puts it plainly: “I budget every penny, but after rent and utilities, there’s barely enough left for food. SNAP helps me feed my kids healthy meals.” Without SNAP, Maria’s family would be among the millions left scrambling to bridge an impossible gap.
For many seniors, SNAP benefits are not just about today’s meal but about longer-term stability. James, a retired factory worker, shares: “I live on Social Security, and my SNAP benefits are small. So, I save them up for months to stock up on canned goods and pantry staples. I don’t know what I’d do without it.” For seniors on fixed incomes, access to food is often a choice between hunger and sacrificing medications, utilities, or other essentials.
Even the strongest collective efforts of aligned non-profit organizations cannot replace a federal nutrition program that served 42 million Americans in 2023, including 1.6 million North Carolinians or 13 percent of the state population. If SNAP were weakened or cut, the consequences would be devastating. Lines at food pantries—already at historic levels—would stretch beyond capacity. The local economy would suffer, with reduced spending at grocery retailers likely to cascade into staffing reductions.
The strain on our communities would be immense. Food insecurity is not just about hunger—it’s about health and our community’s economic stability. Lack of nutrition exacerbates chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease, driving up healthcare costs. It affects workforce productivity and children’s ability to learn and succeed. When we fail to invest in nutrition, we pay the price in other, more expensive ways.
SNAP is a fundamental part of our national infrastructure, ensuring that in times of struggle—whether due to economic downturns, disasters, or personal hardship—Americans have the means to feed themselves and their families.
As Congress debates funding for nutrition programs, we must reject policies that chip away at SNAP’s effectiveness. The need for food assistance is already unprecedented. We must ensure that our elected leaders use the facts about SNAP and other nutrition programs in their decision-making along with making wise, strategic decisions that ensure the stability of our communities today and for the future. Not only is this good for children, seniors, and families, but for American competitiveness overall.
At Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC, we are committed to doing our part. However, a combined public/private approach is required to have the greatest impact. We call on policymakers, business leaders, and community members to stand with us in protecting and strengthening SNAP. Because no one in America should have to choose between keeping the lights on and putting food on the table. Because a country that ensures its people are fed is a stronger, healthier, and more prosperous nation for all. Because everyone deserves to eat.
