“Instead of punishing people for being poor we should support investment in economic mobility, job training and education as a meaningful pathway out of poverty,” says Davis.
Contact: Meredith Jorss, mjorss@strength.org
2/12/2019, WASHINGTON, DC – On Feb. 1 the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a proposed rule that will undermine state flexibility to waive work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) receiving Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The following is a statement from Share Our Strength’s Senior Vice President, Lisa Davis.
“This rule proposes a heavy-handed one-size-fits-all approach to the SNAP program. Governors and state leaders are in the best position to understand the unique needs of their communities and the job opportunities in their states, but this rule unnecessarily prevents them from making decisions that best serve their citizens and support individuals struggling to get by.
If implemented, the rule stands to affect 750,000 people – a majority of whom are rural unskilled workers, at-risk young adults, people of color and low-income Americans already living with hunger.
This includes up to 26,000 kids who annually age out of foster care at age 18. By age 24, only half of these youths will obtain employment and 3 to 4 percent will have earned a college degree by age 26, making them especially vulnerable to hunger and poverty.
A good job is always the best pathway out of poverty, but this rule disproportionately affects a low-wage workforce that often lacks the education and substantive job training needed to compete for available jobs.
In the last decade we have seen the skills gap widen for low-income and rural Americans. The rapid advancement of technology and the gig economy have left many individuals behind. An emphasis on workforce development and training is imperative to allow people to compete for the jobs currently available.
Nutrition is a fundamental need and is an important component of helping people get back on their feet. Taking food away from struggling Americans is poor public policy and mean spirited. Instead of punishing people for being poor we should support investment in economic mobility, job training and education as a meaningful pathway out of poverty.
Ultimately, this rule will create more barriers for struggling families and make it harder for states to help them get back on their feet. Share Our Strength strongly opposes this rule and urges the White House to withdraw it.”
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About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America. But 1 in 6 kids will face hunger this year. No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger through effective programs that provide kids with the food they need. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization working to end hunger and poverty. Join us at NoKidHungry.org