Faith groups gather to criticize federal SNAP and healthcare cuts
WMNF News
By Zoe Sax
This article originally appeared on WMNF.org.
School lunch by XiXinXing
via iStock for WMNF News.
Catalyst Miami, a nonprofit that partners with frontline communities in Miami-Dade, held an online press conference Tuesday to criticize federal cuts to SNAP. Multiple faith leaders from around Florida urged Florida’s Congressional delegation to reject any proposed cuts.
“These families depend on SNAP, and many of them depend on Medicaid for healthcare,” said Rev. Pam DeDea of United Methodist Temple in Lakeland. “My church’s ministries is focused on helping to relieve child hunger, and we see firsthand how these cuts to these programs are going to affect children that we care about deeply, not to mention the ones that we don’t know. As I reflect on what these cuts will do to our community, I’m horrified that we would have legislatures who would think that this is okay.”
Catalyst Miami and the faith groups share the goal of advancing health equity and working towards ending hunger in Florida, but to do that, they say SNAP and accessible healthcare are crucial. Rev. Catherine Montgomery of Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church in Jacksonville says even with SNAP benefits, people are struggling to get by.
“Pantries who used to receive some inventory from federal programs are already struggling to replace it,” said Rev. Montgomery. “We are barely able to make a dent in the steadily increasing community need. And we are struggling to serve newly food insecure people as quickly as they desperately need. If SNAP benefits are cut, there is no cushion in the system to make up the gap. More people, more children, more senior citizens, more disabled people, more veterans will go to bed hungry at night.”
Catalyst Miami and the faith groups that spoke will continue to fight for the support of Floridians and make sure fewer people go hungry and more people have the support they need.
By Zoe Sax
This article originally appeared on WMNF.org.
School lunch by XiXinXing
via iStock for WMNF News.
Catalyst Miami, a nonprofit that partners with frontline communities in Miami-Dade, held an online press conference Tuesday to criticize federal cuts to SNAP. Multiple faith leaders from around Florida urged Florida’s Congressional delegation to reject any proposed cuts.
“These families depend on SNAP, and many of them depend on Medicaid for healthcare,” said Rev. Pam DeDea of United Methodist Temple in Lakeland. “My church’s ministries is focused on helping to relieve child hunger, and we see firsthand how these cuts to these programs are going to affect children that we care about deeply, not to mention the ones that we don’t know. As I reflect on what these cuts will do to our community, I’m horrified that we would have legislatures who would think that this is okay.”
Catalyst Miami and the faith groups share the goal of advancing health equity and working towards ending hunger in Florida, but to do that, they say SNAP and accessible healthcare are crucial. Rev. Catherine Montgomery of Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church in Jacksonville says even with SNAP benefits, people are struggling to get by.
“Pantries who used to receive some inventory from federal programs are already struggling to replace it,” said Rev. Montgomery. “We are barely able to make a dent in the steadily increasing community need. And we are struggling to serve newly food insecure people as quickly as they desperately need. If SNAP benefits are cut, there is no cushion in the system to make up the gap. More people, more children, more senior citizens, more disabled people, more veterans will go to bed hungry at night.”
Catalyst Miami and the faith groups that spoke will continue to fight for the support of Floridians and make sure fewer people go hungry and more people have the support they need.
