FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York (August 17, 2021) – Noreen Springstead, executive director of WhyHunger, issued the following statement regarding the re-evaluation of the Thrifty Food Plan by the USDA which will provide the largest permanent increase in the program’s history - of more than 25% to their pre-pandemic monthly SNAP benefits for Americans facing food insecurity:
“For decades, the U.S. emergency food system has historically been unable to meet demands or impact rates of food insecurity. While the quickest and most dignified way to help combat hunger and food insecurity is through tools such as SNAP, for far too long it has not been an adequate lifeline as inflation has far outpaced the original costs outlined in the Thrifty Food Plan.
The historic decision to permanently expand SNAP benefits and parameters of the Thrifty Food Plan, while long overdue, is a critical salve for Americans and their families who are beneficiaries of the program. Access to healthy and nutritious food is a basic human right. The modernization of this program helps to ensure dignity and autonomy as we build collective power to transform our approach to ending hunger and secure everyone’s basic human right to food.
We support and celebrate this provision as a monumental step in the right direction of reform. We continue to remain focused on supporting transformative long-term and lasting solutions, including economic justice, that strike at the root causes of hunger, and encourage the Administration to do the same to protect and ensure the right to food for all.”
About WhyHunger
Founded in 1975 by the late Harry Chapin and radio DJ Bill Ayres, WhyHunger believes a world without hunger is possible. We provide critical resources to support grassroots movements and fuel community solutions rooted in social, environmental, racial and economic justice. A four-star rated charity by Charity Navigator, with highest ratings for excellence in fiscal management accountability and transparency, WhyHunger is working to end hunger and advance the human right to nutritious food in the U.S. and around the world. 86 cents of every dollar raised goes directly to programmatic work. Learn more at whyhunger.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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