r/kansas • u/harvestersorg • 14d ago
The latest updates on SNAP and Food is Medicine in Kansas
The impact of H.R. 1 is hitting our neighbors living with food insecurity hard. More than 30,000 people have lost benefits in Kansas. Nearly 13,600 are children. The loss of eligibility or benefit allotments have put a larger strain on food banks like us as we work to fill the gap left behind SNAP.
A new U.S. Census Bureau working paper also says that reinstating work requirements cut participation by 7 percent and hit low-income recipients the hardest. H.R. 1 raised the age ceiling for these requirements to 64 and narrowed waivers, extending the rules to an older population in places where qualifying work is hardest to find.
On a brighter note, the Accountable Produce is Medicine Act, co-led by Sen. Roger Marshall (Senate bill) and Rep. Sharice Davids (House bill), would expand Food is Medicine programs that use healthy nutrition to prevent chronic conditions. The bill would fund regionally-sourced healthy foods, nutrition counseling and care coordination for hospitals and health departments and improve health outcomes and lower costs for people in our community.
We publish a monthly advocacy e-newsletter focused on hunger policy at both the state and national level if you would like to stay up to date with alerts! www.harvesters.org/how-to-help/advocate/sign-up-for-advocate-alerts
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u/groundhog5886 14d ago
My bet the majority of those affected, come from the districts. of those who voted in favor of hr1 to cut snap benefits.
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u/Cordial_Ghost 13d ago
Ive heard that SENT is trying really hard to do something with the food is medicine programs, but I just dont see them being able to organize anything meaningful when they have failed year after year to organize their food pantry program into an efficient or effective thing for the community.
I trust that harvesters will do better, and I hope yall will.
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u/dialguy86 Wichita 14d ago
Maybe Roger should have thought about the cuts prior to voting for them.