Over 150 Chefs Join Call to Protect Nutrition Programs that Feed Millions
Contact: Ryan Flaherty, rflaherty@strength.org
4/9/2025, Washington, DC - Today, Emmy award-winning food personality and philanthropist Rachael Ray led a group of over 150 chefs and culinary professionals from across the country on a letter urging Congress to protect and fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) amidst ongoing budget negotiations, where massive cuts to nutrition programs are under serious consideration. These chefs come from communities in every state across the country.
“As culinary leaders, we have built our careers around the power of food—not just as a means of nourishment, but as a way to bring people together and strengthen communities. Every day, we see the impact that access to nutrition has on people’s lives. At a time when millions of Americans are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of food, it’s more important than ever before to protect SNAP, one of our nation’s most powerful tools to end hunger,” the letter states.
SNAP helps 40+ million Americans, including 1 in 5 children, afford food. Cuts to already modest benefits or additional red tape that make it more difficult for SNAP benefits to reach all who need them would only make it harder for families to put food on the table and stretch their budgets.
“I know the life-changing power of food,” said Rachael Ray, a longtime anti-hunger advocate, philanthropist and No Kid Hungry champion through efforts from the Rachael Ray Foundation. “That’s why I’m deeply concerned about potential cuts to this vital program that helps put healthy food on the table for millions of families. SNAP is an investment in the health of our kids and the strength of our communities.”
The signatories of the letter to Congress come from every state in the country, reinforcing the fact that hunger exists in every community. Cutting this program will not only hurt participants but will also harm local economies and the farmers and producers who grow our food.
You can read the full letter and entire list of signatories here.
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About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America. But millions of kids in the United States live with hunger. No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty.