Above: Beve McCulley, L, and Brandee Bell keep smiling even though they both know that times are getting tougher providing for families in need of support.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s (SNAP) delayed and reduced payments to qualified individuals and families are taking a serious toll on local food banks that have already been stretched. Supplies around the country, Oregon and, in particular, Lane County are dwindling rapidly with no additional help in sight.
The Agriculture Department has issued new guidance for how to calculate SNAP and ordered states to recalculate benefits for current recipients. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a left-leaning group, told the New York Times that the new policy could cut average benefits by about 61 percent this month, and leave some recipients with nothing at all…