The consequences of cuts to our nation’s nutrition programs are not abstract. They are already causing deep pain in homes across Indiana.
I recently met Ashlee at Pantry 279, the food pantry we run here in Ellettsville. She has a new baby, but she also has to work, and breastfeeding is not an option. She receives WIC, but it does not provide enough formula to last the month.
Her SNAP benefits, already slashed, were gone in the first week. So Ashlee came to the pantry on a prayer, hoping there might be formula on the shelves. She waters it down to make it last and worries because her baby is not developing as fast as others who are getting proper nutrition. She is terrified, but at least her baby will survive…