Thousands of people could be affected by looming changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in 2020.
SNAP provides benefits directly to low-income families through an EBT or debit card to be used at grocery stores or markets for food.
Adam Morgan, advocacy coordinator at Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, joins the food bank’s Brian Gulish on this week’s Food Podcast to discuss how changes to SNAP could affect Western Pennsylvanians and the future of the program.
Listen: How changes to SNAP could affect Western Pennsylvanians
The proposed rule change pertains to SNAP participants considered able-bodied, without dependents and between the ages of 18 and 49.
“Nationally, as many as 700,000 people could lose their SNAP benefits,” Morgan said. “In Pennsylvania, it will be about 90,000 and in our 11-county service area it could be upward of 11,000. SNAP benefits will be cut by more than $1 billion per year.”
The USDA has proposed three rule changes to SNAP this year. Morgan explains that could create economic consequences, as well as other issues for workplaces with limited resources.
Morgan said a person’s situation may be more complicated than simply finding a job.
