Patrick is a dad, a husband, and a student. He knows firsthand how critical SNAP benefits are for families working hard to build a better future. When he talks about his kids, you can tell he's really proud of them.
“My oldest is very avid for being an artist. She’s a very picky eater, which I don’t love so much, but we make do,” he said laughing. “My second daughter is more empathetic and loving. She’s just all around a happy kid all the time, which is very nice. And my little boy—he’s gonna be hard-headed, but he’s also super loving. He’s just getting into that period where he’s starting to talk a lot, so you can actually have a conversation with him. It’s pretty nice.”
Patrick has endured unique challenges that put him in a tough financial situation, making it difficult to ensure there is always food on the table. He was on a path to becoming an acupuncturist, even earning a master’s degree in the field. Until everything changed.
“I developed arthritis in my neck, and it made my hands shake,” he explained. “I couldn’t practice anymore because, well, no one wants shaky hands holding needles.”
Recalling the challenges of living without SNAP, Patrick shared, “Without SNAP, I would skip meals pretty consistently. The food was for them. I would be making less food overall. The kids still ate. I just kind of went without for a while.”
With his career in acupuncture no longer an option, Patrick fell back on his experience in residential and commercial maintenance, a skill he learned from his dad. But to advance in the field, he needed credentials, so he decided to enroll back in school to get his electrician’s license. He is set to finish in May and is ready to work around the clock to pay off his student debt and build a better future for his kids.
Patrick’s wife works during the day as a nurse at a local orthopedic center. Due to the high cost of daycare, Patrick has decided to take classes at night and be a full-time dad during the day with his little boy. He often has to stay up late at night and wake up early to take care of the kids. He sees his wife very little, but they know the sacrifices are worth it for the future of their kids. SNAP helps Patrick make sure his kids have enough to eat, even when times are tough.
“[Now, my kids are] not going hungry. That’s for sure,” he explained, and then shared how his kids were just happier and healthier with the groceries they could buy with SNAP. “My youngest used to have breathing problems, but since we’ve been able to afford healthier food, we haven’t had to rush to the ER. That’s huge for us. And my three-year-old is big enough to open up the fridge now and get whatever he wants out of it, and it actually is there. So that’s a very nice feeling.”
“Having food benefits has given me kind of a bridge that helps support everything that I’m doing right now to get my education and become a better member of society—more than just provide for my kids, but give them a solid future and the savings so I can pass that on to them,” he added.
With SNAP, Patrick is able to purchase healthy meals for his kids, and during the summer, he loves going to the farmers market and getting fresh produce. “It’s a win-win: we get fresh produce, and we’re supporting our local economy.”
As Congress considers cuts to SNAP, we share the story of Patrick and his family to show how important this program is as a safety net in moments of crisis and as a stepping stone toward the American dream.
In a message to elected officials and in particular to Senator Jon Husted, Russel shared, “Jon, this is a message directly to you to advocate for your position to keep SNAP benefits and push for that. SNAP benefits, they’re more than just a handout. They’re a hand up for my family. They helped me so I can go to school and get a better education. It’s making all the difference in my life right now. And it’s also still providing my kids healthier foods. It gives us an opportunity to buy local produce, and it helps more than my family—it also helps my surrounding [community].”
Join Patrick in asking your elected officials to protect SNAP. Your voice will make a difference for millions of families and help us ensure No Kid Hungry is a reality in America.
