Local food pantries are bracing for a huge increase of hungry Missourians, after a change to the food stamp program will affect thousands who rely on the assistance.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the federal food stamp program, and requires certain qualifications.
For able-bodied adults without dependents (known as ABAWD), the SNAP program has work requirements.
In order to receive food stamps, an ABAWD must:
- Work at least 80 hours per month, or
- Participate in qualifying education and training activities for 80 hours per month, or
- Comply with a workfare program
If an ABAWD does not meet these work requirements for more than three months during a period of three years, they will lose SNAP benefits.
For the last several years, Missouri — and many other states — had a waiver on those time limits. The waiver was put in place after the recession, when unemployment numbers increased.
However, Missouri passed several changes to assistance programs last year — including an end to the time limit waiver for ABAWD on SNAP benefits. That change went into effect January 1, 2016.
Therefore, any ABAWD on food stamps at the start of the year who did not meet the work requirements will lose their SNAP benefits on April 1, 2016. According to state estimates, 26,000 Missourians could be affected by this change.
Now, food banks and pantries are preparing for a huge increase in clients, as people look for other sources of food.
“When you’re scraping together dollars, trying to figure out where I’m going to get my next meal from, any cuts can be devastating,” said Ryan Farmer, Director of Communications for the St. Louis Area Food Bank.
The organization helps distribute food and supplies to hundreds of local food pantries, places like the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry in St. Louis.
Director Judy Berkowitz says they already serve about 7,000 people in St. Louis County each month, and she can’t imagine even more.
“The numbers I’m hearing are frightening,” she said. “We’re trying to give people seven to 10 day’s worth of food each month. And were concerned. If there’s that many more people coming, we’re not going to turn them away, [but] we’re perhaps going to have to give everyone a little bit less until the people who provide food for us can get a little bit more.”
This change to SNAP benefits does not affect families with children or adults who cannot work due to disability or age. Several other states have chosen to end their waivers on the work requirement time limits, as well.
