RFK Jr.'s SNAP changes have people worried about losing benefits altogether

2 weeks ago

Over 20 states are trying to barroom group from utilizing nutrient assistance to bargain candy and soda, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said he'll grow nan ban. Some recipients fearfulness they whitethorn suffer assistance altogether.

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

More states are readying to extremity group from utilizing nutrient assistance to bargain soda and candy. Yesterday, nan Trump management added Utah, Idaho and Arkansas to nan quickly increasing database of states allowed to instrumentality this policy. This connected apical of nan projected fund cuts to nan program, nan largest successful history. NPR's Katia Riddle talked to 1 family astir really this mightiness impact their lives.

KATIA RIDDLE, BYLINE: Meet Solomon Church (ph), 10-year-old nutritionist. He's opinionated successful nan cereal aisle astatine nan market store. He lives successful a agrarian Oregon municipality called The Dalles. Solomon points to nan sweetener contented connected nan broadside of 1 box.

SOLOMON CHURCH: Six grams and has protein, nine.

RIDDLE: Protein, he explains, is nan astir important constituent - and vitamins.

SOLOMON: 'Cause if you get thing that doesn't person vitamins, your assemblage doesn't grow.

RIDDLE: Solomon is present pinch his mom, T Church (ph). The family gets astir $450 successful benefits a period from nan Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, aliases SNAP. The management says this prohibition connected soda and candy will thief trim chronic illness and amended nutrition. T says, nutrition is important successful their family, but truthful is being capable to springiness her kids choices and being capable to bargain immoderate typical treats.

T CHURCH: And truthful for immoderate kids, it's, like, nan astir meaningful measurement that they consciousness emotion and connection. And truthful being capable to springiness them thing that doesn't, like, negatively effect our fund is amazing.

RIDDLE: She's a azygous mom to 5 kids. Her oldest are successful precocious school. T says, for them, soda and power drinks person a typical role.

CHURCH: I deliberation it's benignant of societal rate for our teenagers.

RIDDLE: T's oldest daughter, Olivia Church, wasn't astatine nan store, but connected a telephone call, she says her mom is right. At her school, immoderate kids get successful nan greeting pinch $7 Starbucks drinks. She can't spend that, but because of SNAP, she tin spend Red Bull. She says stepping into nan first play pinch 1 successful her manus helps her consciousness normal.

OLIVIA CHURCH: You know, I would ne'er beryllium capable to beryllium a portion of that societal pyramid if we didn't person nan SNAP benefits.

RIDDLE: The management argues taxpayers shouldn't beryllium subsidizing unhealthy nutrient and beverages, but paying for power drinks is simply a insignificant problem compared to different obstacle this family could beryllium facing. As portion of nan effort to trim nan program, nan existent measure imposes activity requirements. T Church would person to activity 20 hours a week to support her benefits.

CHURCH: As a sole provider, there's nary - yeah, there's nary measurement that - if nan request was 20 hours a week, that would drastically negatively effect our family.

RIDDLE: This norm would use to families pinch kids complete nan property of 7. One of her sons needs a batch of typical care. It's imaginable she could suffice for a disablement exemption, but that's unclear.

CHURCH: Because moreover though chronologically, he's 11, social, emotionally, he's much for illustration 6.

RIDDLE: T says SNAP benefits are captious to getting done this clip successful their life.

CHURCH: And it's not that I don't want to work. It's not that I'm unable. It's - we unrecorded successful specified a agrarian organization and his needs are truthful significant, and attraction retired present for a kid for illustration him is virtually impossible.

RIDDLE: There are much than 40 cardinal group connected SNAP. Experts opportunity arsenic galore arsenic 1 successful 4 recipients could beryllium affected. It's imaginable immoderate states would extremity nan programme altogether alternatively than effort to dress up for nan cuts. T says she thinks efforts to curtail SNAP don't return into relationship nan basal intent for programs specified arsenic this one.

CHURCH: It seems for illustration they were created to beryllium capable to attraction for members of our community.

RIDDLE: Caring for people, says T Church, by making judge everyone has capable food. Katia Riddle, NPR News, The Dalles, Oregon.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

Accuracy and readiness of NPR transcripts whitethorn vary. Transcript matter whitethorn beryllium revised to correct errors aliases lucifer updates to audio. Audio connected npr.org whitethorn beryllium edited aft its original broadcast aliases publication. The charismatic grounds of NPR’s programming is nan audio record.