Proposed Farm Bill Has Some Locals Concerned About Future Of Food Stamps
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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A proposed Farm Bill is making its way through Congress and some residents in our area are concerned about what that could mean for the future of food stamps.
County officials say food stamps are critical for more than 55,000 residents living in Montgomery County.
Danielle Gadsden works part-time at a nonprofit called the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities. She is also a recipient of the supplemental nutrition assistance program or Snap, also another term for food stamps.
The Pottstown mother of two teens and grandmother of two started collecting food stamps 16 years ago after she brought her first home.
"I was on it for quite a while and one thing I always said was my kids are never gonna go hungry, not in my house," said Gadsden.
Gadsden is among millions of Americans now in jeopardy of losing their food stamps after a proposed renewal of the Farm Bill would cut spending and impose work requirements, making it tougher to participate in the program.
The Bill was passed in the House on Friday.
"It's extremely disappointing. Food stamps are not a lazy person's thing, which a lot of people seem to think that it is," said Gadsden. "It's for people who are on that edge and need that help."
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"If you're hungry, it's really hard to be healthy. If you're hungry, it's really hard to work effectively and most importantly, if your kids are hungry, it's really hard for them to do well in school," said Dr. Val Arkoosh, Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Chair.
Arkoosh says 10 percent of the population in the county are food insecure. More than half, make too much money to qualify for food stamps.
"Instead of cutting the benefit, I would really like to see that benefit increase so that folks that are working everyday, living paycheck to paycheck, and who just don't earn quite enough money to pay for their food over the course of a month, actually be able to pay for that food," said Dr. Arkoosh.
Barbara Wilhemy is the Executive Director of the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities Food Pantry. Her team works with thousands of food stamp recipients. Now with the Farm Bill currently being reviewed and possible revised in the Senate, she's nervous.
"I'm worried because organizations like mine, would certainly see an increase in the number of households coming and we'll serve them but what will happen is the number of those households that we're serving are going to get less resources," said Wilhemy.
The United States Senate is expected to have a debate before voting on the Farm Bill.
"As the Senate continues to debate the Farm Bill and we look ahead to conference with the House, I will do all I can to protect the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for the 1.8 million people in Pennsylvania who rely on the program," said Senator Bob Casey in a statement. "Unlike the partisan House Bill, the Senate's legislation invests new money into nutrition incentives, emergency food assistance and a farm to food bank program that I championed. The nutrition title of the Farm Bill has always been, and always will be, a priority for me, which is why I voted against the last Farm Bill's proposed cuts. I will continue to fight for a bill which ensures that all Pennsylvanians have access to healthy, nutritious food."
