PHILADELPHIA, PA — More than 140,000 Pennsylvanians are expected to lose access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) following federal action, while funding cuts to food pantries and related services threaten to deepen the strain on families already coping with rising food costs.
State Rep. Amen Brown (D-Philadelphia) has been addressing the issue directly through his “Breezy World” outreach initiative, which partners with nonprofits to distribute free food weekly at his district office.
“I know how people are struggling, and I feel their pain deeply, because my family too struggled when I was younger,” Brown said. “That is one of the reasons why I am focused on this issue, and helping people in our community and commonwealth. Because an empty belly is a horrible feeling that no one should have to experience in our great nation.”
Brown is urging lawmakers to support legislation creating the Pennsylvania Hunger Task Force, which would develop a coordinated response to food insecurity across the state.
“Too many of our neighbors, despite working hard and doing everything right, are still forced to choose between paying for rent, medicine or putting food on the table,” Brown said. “This is not the Pennsylvania we aspire to be, and together, we have the power to change it – if my colleagues will put aside their differences and support this legislation.”
Even before the SNAP changes, an estimated 41 percent of Pennsylvanians facing hunger did not qualify for food assistance programs, leaving many families without support in urban, suburban and rural areas.
“When a child goes to school hungry, when a senior goes to bed without a meal, or when a parent skips dinner so their children can eat, we are all diminished,” Brown said. “By working together, we can create sustainable, equitable solutions that strengthen our communities, support working families, and build a healthier future for our commonwealth.”
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