Scott Lewis (“Remember the hungry as holidays approach,” Oct. 24) rightly urges readers to join the fight against hunger. But, if some Washington politicians have their way, childhood hunger may actually get worse.
The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP – provides food for more than 20 million kids. And it works – the childhood hunger rate would be much higher without SNAP. Making food more affordable also reduces child poverty because fewer parents must make the heartbreaking choice between paying the rent and putting food on the table.
Some in Congress have proposed deep cuts to SNAP, and with 47 cents of every SNAP dollar going to children, there’s no way their plan won’t deny food to kids.
Yes, the federal government has budget problems. But let’s remind the politicians that hungry kids didn’t cause them, and making child hunger worse is the wrong way to solve them.
Editor’s note: Lesley is president of First Focus Campaign for Children in Washington, D.C.