"Working two jobs, having two kids - just barely making ends meet. SNAP has been taking some of the pressure off when I go grocery shopping.”
“At first it was tough, just feeling prideful about taking help, but every little bit helps right now," said Tim Hayes, a single dad from Minnesota.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is one of the most effective programs we have for feeding children: 20 million kids in America rely on food purchased with SNAP.
Hayes works two part-time jobs as a mail carrier and a cabinet maker, and is raising his daughter, age 8, and son, age 4, alone. After signing his son up for pre-school, he learned he was eligible for SNAP benefits and enrolled.
“I'm trying to get back on my feet," he explained. "Every little bit is helpful to my children. And knowing that I am getting assistance, I do feel a sense of responsibility to use that money carefully to buy nutritious foods. I am very grateful for the assistance.”
The SNAP benefits that Hayes' children - and millions more - rely on are authorized by Congress every five years as part of the Farm Bill. No Kid Hungry will be there during this year’s reauthorization process to make sure the program is protected and that no kid goes without the food they need.
“We've been through some hard times the past couple years,” Hayes said of his children. "But they’ve been very resilient. The difficulties we've gone through have actually opened the door for us to communicate better with each other and our relationship has grown.”
