Episode 204: The Impact of Budget Cuts for SNAP and Other Food Programs
About the Podcast
Today, Clancy speaks with Salaam Bhatti, the SNAP Director for the Food Research & Action Center, which focuses on strengthening SNAP access and benefit adequacy. You won’t want to miss their discussion about what SNAP is all about, the Thrifty Food Plan, and the impacts of budget cuts on this program and other food programs in the country. They also talked about the criminal schemes targeting SNAP participants. Listen and enjoy the show!
About Salaam Bhatti
Salaam Bhatti is the SNAP Director for the Food Research & Action Center, which focuses on strengthening SNAP access and benefit adequacy. He collaborates with FRAC leadership to develop and implement annual work plans, achieve strategic goals, and drive information. Before FRAC, Salaam worked at the Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC) where he achieved key policy victories.
Discussion Takeaways
- The poverty we have in most countries, particularly in the United States, is a policy choice. We have plenty of food for everybody, and it just needs to be able to match that need with the food that is available.
- The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is a program against hunger that helps over 42 million people each month to have food on the table.
- A Thrifty Food Plan determines consumption patterns, what are people buying at grocery stores, and a designed food plan to provide adequate nutrition.
- SNAP is not just a program that helps people put food on the table, but it also decreases healthcare costs, increases health outcomes, and improves students' grades at school.
#1 tip to improve access to healthy food
1 in 7 U.S. households faces hunger, with Black, Latinx, and single-parent families hit hardest. SNAP is the nation’s first line of defense, but support beyond charity is essential to meet the need.
Each week on the Food Dignity® Podcast, the Food Dignity® Movement's Clancy Harrison hosts a wide variety of hunger experts and other people making changes on the frontlines. Join us as we dive deep into conversations that will change the way you think about food insecurity.
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