As Clock Ticks, West Alabama Families Face A Food Insecurity Crisis
While Democrats and Republicans continue to point fingers and blame each other for the ongoing federal government shutdown the West Alabama Food Bank and various community support organizations are gearing up to assist those who will be impacted by loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits if they end Saturday.
More than three-quarters of a million low-income Alabama residents, including more than 20,000 in West Alabama, will be at risk of food insecurity unless legislation is passed by congress to continue funding SNAP.
If the SNAP program is interrupted, thousands of Alabama families will have to depend on food banks, churches and community support organizations. Recent history tells us what to expect. After the expiration of pandemic-era SNAP emergency allotments in 2023, child hunger and food insecurity spiked. Experts predict that new cuts will have a similar effect and cause children to lose automatic eligibility for free school meals.
Tuscaloosa Emergency Services Executive Director Dr. Karen Thompson-Jackson anticipates a tremendous increase in assistance requests. She is asking the community to help out. "Every donation—big or small—helps us put food on someone’s table and hope in their heart."
Alabama Junior Republican Senator Katie Britt has joined a bi-partisan effort in congress to pass a stopgap measure called the Keep SNAP Funded Act. The bill would provide uninterrupted SNAP benefits and would provide retroactive payments for SNAP benefits that were missed on or after September 30th. The bill has been read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations in the senate.
In a press release where Britt claimed Democrats could end the shutdown anytime they want, she also promised, "I will continue to put hardworking Americans first and join my Republican colleagues in voting to reopen the government. My team and I will stay in touch with state officials as we work toward solutions that ease the pain countless Alabamians and Americans are feeling due to Democrats’ selfishness.”
West Alabama GOP Congressman Robert Aderholt also issued a statement expressing his concern.
“Food assistance benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will lapse on November 1 simply because Washington can’t keep the government open. This failure is completely avoidable. Working families should never be used as leverage in partisan battles. If Democrats wish to open discussions about Affordable Care Act subsidies, I say let’s do that — but let’s keep the government running while we talk. Let’s not shut down vital services and leave millions of Americans wondering how they’ll put food on the table.”
West Alabama Democrat Congresswoman Terri Sewell deflected blame back on the Republicans in a Facebook post, "These are the same people responsible for making the largest cut to SNAP in American history just four months ago.
The Alabama Department of Human Resources has published guidance on their website for those who will lose SNAP benefits. "Clients who need additional food support during this time may reach out to their local Feeding Alabama affiliated food bank, visit feedingalabama.org, or any other food resources available in their local communities."
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