Fighting hunger helps people as well as the economy

By Brian Burton

Thursday, June 28, 2018 | 2 a.m.

When it comes to food, many Nevadans find security by simply opening their fridge or pantry, or having the financial resources to go to their local store. However, thousands of our hungry neighbors rely on federal benefits to help keep their shelves stocked with nutritious food for their families. Currently, uncertainty in the outcome of the federal farm bill puts many at even greater risk and would have a negative impact on our economy.

If ultimately approved by Congress, legislation passed in the House of Representatives would be devastating to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), because an estimated 2 million people nationwide would lose their food assistance. Additionally, both the House and Senate bills under current consideration underfund the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). Members of Nevada’s congressional delegation (on both sides of the aisle) must be vocal and adamant in protecting funding to SNAP and increase funding levels for TEFAP. These programs are not only vital to our safety net protecting people with disabilities, children, and veterans from going hungry, but they also provide substantial support to our economy.

SNAP is one of our nation’s most effective anti-poverty programs, keeping more than 8 million people out of poverty. For many food-insecure Nevadans, SNAP is a vital federal aid ensuring they have enough to eat. The program helps underserved individuals and families extend their grocery budget so they can put nutritious, healthy food on the table. In Southern Nevada, the efforts of SNAP outreach partners to get vulnerable veterans, seniors and families signed up results in a return to our economy of $1.80 for every dollar invested in the program. Each year, the SNAP program contributes tens of millions of dollars to Nevada, as it benefits the recipient as well as retailers, vendors, suppliers, and others throughout the grocery supply chain.

The bipartisan Senate version of the federal farm bill does much more to protect the hungry than the legislation passed by the House, including protecting state waiver opportunities for SNAP through Categorical Eligibility. Categorical Eligibility is vital for low-wage working families faced with high costs of living, expanding their access to the variety necessary in making healthy choices. “Cat El” allows states flexibility to account for local economic conditions and is critical to Nevada in providing food assistance to low-income families with children.

Unfortunately, many hungry Nevadans are not eligible for SNAP. In fact, according to the Feeding America study “Map the Meal Gap 2017,” 32 percent of children in Clark County who are food insecure likely live in households with income levels deemed ineligible for federal nutrition benefits. Both the House and Senate farm bills do not adequately reinvest funds in TEFAP. TEFAP is essential to our work in feeding those who are food insecure and broader efforts to close the hunger gap in our communities. It is imperative that we support the people who fall into this gap by properly funding TEFAP.

In 2016, TEFAP commodities accounted for approximately 18 percent of the food moving through Feeding America’s food banks, like Three Square and the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. In many cases, food banks combine TEFAP product with private donations to provide greater support. By maximizing TEFAP benefits, food banks epitomize a successful public-private partnership that stretches our precious resources to feed the hungry.

Access to nutritious food should not be an insurmountable burden to overcome for Nevada’s families, seniors and children. Providing hungry neighbors with the dignity of nutritious food is a responsibility shared by the generous individuals, businesses, nonprofits and government officials who provide a helping hand and a bit of hope. A bipartisan farm bill that protects and strengthens SNAP and funds TEFAP at necessary levels would not only demonstrate a commitment to those who are food insecure, but is also a smart government investment for all Nevadans.

Brian Burton is president and CEO of Three Square Food Bank.