Empower Missouri & Supporters Join 79,000+ Persons/Organizations in Rejecting Trump Administration SNAP Eligibility Change Proposal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 19, 2019
Contact: Conner Kerrigan, Communications Director
815-263-1261 (cell)
[email protected] 

(JEFFERSON CITY, MO)…Yesterday, over 79,000 public comments were submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from people across the United States in opposition to the Trump Administration’s proposed change in eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, commonly known as food stamps). It has been projected that the change would leave over 3.1 million Americans ineligible for this vital program that currently helps them put food on the table.

Empower Missouri, along with over 240 supporters, submitted one of the comments, which must be read and responded to by USDA officials. You can find the comment here. SNAP is an essential safety net program for the 12 percent of Missourians that the USDA reported as “food insecure” in early September.

“We are thankful that so many Missourians joined us in opposing the proposed rule from the Trump Administration that would weaken the SNAP program,” said Jeanette Mott Oxford, executive director of Empower Missouri. “It is important lawmakers base policies about SNAP on the realities experienced by families living in poverty, and that’s why we have issued the #MOSNAPChallenge to state and federal legislators.”

Empower Missouri is currently inviting state and federal lawmakers to participate in the #MOSNAPChallenge, which asks them to shop for a three day supply of food for a family of four using only the average benefit level available through SNAP. So far, five state legislators have accepted the challenge, which goes through October 25th. You can find more information at bit.ly/MOSNAPChallenge.

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Empower Missouri (www.EmpowerMissouri.org) is a statewide not-for-profit advocating for the well-being of Missourians through civic leadership, education, and research. Founded as the Missouri Conference on Charities and Corrections in 1901, Empower Missouri has operated under four names in its 118-year history, but always with a focus on access to basic human needs and basic fairness.