MA SNAP Coalition Recommendations to MA Delegation for Biden/Harris Transition Team

93 Massachusetts anti-hunger and social justice organizations urge the Massachusetts Delegation to share our priority recommendations to decrease hunger with the Biden/Harris Transition Planning Team as soon as possible. Massachusetts is facing the highest increase in food insecurity in the nation due to COVID-19. Currently, about 1 in 7 residents, including 1 in 5 children, are food insecure. More than half a million households in Massachusetts receive SNAP to help put food on the table. Hundreds of thousands more are eligible for but not receiving the benefit, or are ineligible due to harmful immigrant restrictions – and the SNAP benefit amount is woefully inadequate.

The economic repercussions of the pandemic have been disproportionately borne by low-income, Black, Latino/Latinx, and immigrant communities in the Commonwealth. Economic challenges will continue long after the country successfully deploys an effective vaccine. SNAP and child nutrition programs are a key part of meaningful COVID relief and directly reduce health care costs. Federal nutrition programs also generate significant and essential economic stimulus to states and local economies. Crafting an equitable and effective anti-hunger agenda should both:

● Ensure SNAP recipients and diverse low-income households have a seat at the table in setting policy priorities, and
● Focus on eliminating racist policies and equitably support groups at the highest risk of food insecurity.

For the full letter and recommendations from the Massachusetts SNAP Coalition, please see the attached letter. 

Contact Pat Baker, pbaker@mlri.org, or Vicky Negus, vnegus@mlri.org, with questions.