• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Crisis Assistance Ministry

Crisis Assistance Ministry

Charlotte, NC

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Programs
    • Basic Needs
      • Emergency Financial Assistance
      • Free Store
      • Furniture Bank
    • Economic Mobility
    • Civic Engagement
      • Financial Security CLT
      • Poverty Simulations
    • COVID-19
  • Impact
  • Volunteer
  • Blog
    • Advocacy News
    • Agency News
    • Customer Stories
    • Donor Stories
    • Volunteer Stories
  • About
    • About Us
    • Leadership Team
    • Board of Directors
    • Join Our Team
    • Financial Reports
    • For the Media
    • Contact Us
  • Donate
    • Make a Financial Donation
    • Donate Clothing & Household Goods
    • Donate Furniture, Mattresses & Appliances

Oh, SNAP: Proposed Changes to Food Stamps

Imagine receiving a well-deserved raise at work, only to discover that it drives your struggling family further into financial distress.

August 14, 2019

Imagine receiving a well-deserved raise at work, only to discover that it drives your struggling family further into financial distress. For working families with incomes hovering near 130% of the poverty line, this could become reality if the Trump administration’s newly published rule change goes into effect.   

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Revision of Categorical Eligibility in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) proposes to close a “loophole” that allows states to modify some of the federal government’s eligibility requirements for SNAP (formerly known as food stamps). In North Carolina, 106,000 people, including 38,000 children, would lose access to food assistance under the new rule, according to NC Policy Watch. 

North Carolina is one of 43 states and territories that leverage broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE) to extend food assistance to low-income working families who otherwise might not qualify under strict federal guidelines. Advocates such as the North Carolina Justice Center state that BBCE is an important tool for moving families out of poverty; eliminating it would punish low-income families for working hard and saving money.   

In North Carolina, SNAP-recipient families are not limited to the federal threshold of $2,250 in assets or savings, thereby allowing them to save money in order to weather financial emergencies. Additionally, North Carolina families who experience a small increase in income are less likely to fall off the “benefits cliff,” since SNAP benefits can be gradually reduced rather than abruptly eliminated as stipulated by federal rules.   

North Carolina is one of 43 states and territories that leverage broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE) to extend food assistance to low-income working families who otherwise might not qualify under strict federal guidelines.

In its proposed rule, the USDA claims that states are approving families for SNAP benefits without checking their income or need for assistance. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “The claim is incorrect.” Their statement, Misguided Trump Administration Rule Would Take Basic Food Assistance From Working Families, Seniors, and People with Disabilities asserts that, “SNAP has some of the most rigorous program integrity standards and systems of any federal program.”  

Nationwide, about 36 million people received SNAP benefits in April of this year. The USDA’s proposed rule would remove about 3.1 million of current beneficiaries from the program. 

Public comment on the rule can be submitted via http://www.regulations.gov.  Deadline for submission is September 23, 2019. 

Filed Under: Advocacy Tagged With: Advocacy, crisis assistance, food stamps, helping hand, snap, snap benefits

Primary Sidebar

Browse by Category

  • Advocacy
  • Agency News
  • Campaign
  • Customer Stories
  • Donor Stories
  • Special Interest
  • Volunteer Stories

Recent Posts

  • What We’re Reading in 2021: Our Top Ten Picks for the New Year
  • Paul Horner Continues to #KeepCharlotteWarm
  • Stacey Says Thanks for Your Compassion
  • Honoring Volunteers In 2020 Style
  • Thank You From the Bottom of My Heart

Search

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Footer

Crisis Assistance Ministry

Preventing homelessness.
Preserving dignity.
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Contact Us

  • (704) 371-3001
  • Send us a message
  • Main Office:
    500-A Spratt St.
    Charlotte, NC 28206

Newsletter

Stay up-to-date by subscribing to our newsletter.

Join Our Mailing List

Search Our Site

Recent Photos

© 2021 · Crisis Assistance Ministry · Charlotte, NC · Privacy Policy · Site by Rabell Creative