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If the government shutdown continues, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will be suspended on November 1st. With the second longest government shutdown in U.S. history still ongoing, 42 million Americans who are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will be left without the food stamps they rely on each month. 6.7 million women and children are part of the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program (WIC) and 6.5 million low-income adults who are 60 and older rely on SNAP. The Trump administration has asserted that it doesn’t have the ability to use existing funds to cover the SNAP program after November 1st because of the government shutdown, with the Agriculture Department blaming Democrats for the lapse in SNAP benefits. It’s important to examine the data to unpack what the numbers reveal regarding who relies on food assistance programs in the U.S. 2023 data indicated that in fiscal year 2023, kids under 18 accounted for 39% of SNAP recipients and adults aged 18-59 made up 42% of SNAP recipients. During the Reagan administration, there were pervasive narratives being propagated of “welfare queens,” stereotyped as Black mothers who were abusing government assistance programs; today, remnants of this racist categorization still remain. Despite the popularly held belief that Black people are the primary beneficiaries of government assistance programs like SNAP, 2023 data reveals that there were more white SNAP recipients (approximately 35%) compared to Black (approximately 26%) and Hispanic/Latino recipients (approximately 16%). Despite the fact that more white people rely on SNAP, according to the Economic Policy Institute, cuts to SNAP benefits disproportionately harm communities of color. SNAP plays a vital role for low-wage workers, those who are in between jobs, and the disabled population. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported that “Adults who receive SNAP often work in occupations and industries with low pay or unstable hours that cause income volatility, such as important frontline service or sales roles like cashiers, cooks, or home health aides.” Despite popularly held myths about SNAP recipients being unemployed, data from the U.S. Census Bureau revealed that most SNAP recipients work. 2021 data from the U.S. Government Accountability Office indicated that 70% of people who relied on government programs like SNAP and Medicaid worked fulltime, with most working in the private sector, in places like restaurants, department stores and grocery stores. SNAP plays a vital role for low-wage workers, those who are in between jobs, and the disabled population. Food insecurity has a direct impact on an employee’s health and wellbeing. According to Kaiser Permanente, employees experiencing food insecurity are twice as likely to have poor physical and mental health, have more emergency room visits and more inpatient hospital stays. These deleterious effects are exacerbated if an employee also has a chronic condition. Any organization that claims to care about employee wellbeing must consider food accessibility. MORE FOR YOU Employees who will be directly impacted by a SNAP stoppage will have to not only navigate food insecurity but also rising food costs, which will compound an already precarious situation. Many food banks around the country, which were already overburdened because of cuts to federal programs, will be further strained by a SNAP suspension. With the holidays being right around the corner, millions of Americans may face a very brutal winter. Employers should take several steps to provide support for employees who will be directly or indirectly impacted by a SNAP suspension. Consider providing meals or groceries for employees; partner with local businesses and grocery delivery services to provide food for employees on a consistent and ongoing basis. Collaborate with food educators who can provide employees with health literacy and food education; this may help spark ideas around creative ways to cook different food items, how to stretch meals to last longer, and ways to improvise recipes with non-perishable items. Host a canned food drive where employees, customers and the public are encouraged to bring canned goods and non-perishable items for employees in need. Organizations must address this problem at the root by paying employees a decent and livable wage so that they don’t have to rely on food assistance programs to survive. In addition to fair and equitable pay, which can take a longer time to implement, the actions listed above may allow employers to provide a much needed and immediate Band-Aid to temporarily stop the bleeding. Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions
