PA Faces Hunger Crisis Amid Proposals to Drastically Limit SNAP

Feeding America report reveals growing food insecurity while federal lawmakers propose the largest rollback of food aid in U.S. history.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (HARRISBURG, PA) – According to new data from Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap, Pennsylvania was the seventh-leading state in childhood food insecurity in 2023, with one in six children facing hunger. That’s more than 475,000 food-insecure children in the Commonwealth, an increase of 14.6% from the previous year.  

The total number of food-insecure Pennsylvanians increased by 172,380 people, more than the populations of Harrisburg, Lancaster, Altoona and Williamsport combined. 

Despite this data showing that hunger is on the rise, the charitable food system faces drastic changes in federal nutrition programs and is bracing for increased need driven by material changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Bill language released yesterday by the U.S. House Agriculture Committee proposes $230 billion in cuts to SNAP and a fundamental reshaping of the program. If passed, this would be the largest rollback of food assistance in our nation’s history at a time when more than 1.7 million Pennsylvanians are already experiencing hunger. 

These changes further burden our neighbors, who are already struggling to put food on the table and put additional strain on the food banks that serve them. 

“Hunger remains an urgent crisis in our communities,” said Julie Bancroft, CEO of Feeding Pennsylvania. “Now more than ever, we must invest in our state-funded anti-hunger programs that help bridge the gap between federal programs and what food banks must privately fund to distribute food to millions of children, families, and seniors across Pennsylvania.”  

The Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System (PASS) supports local agriculture and reduces food waste by purchasing locally produced food products and redirecting them to the charitable food system. A recent Penn State College of Agriculture Science study showed that every dollar of PASS funding generates two dollars of economic activity. The State Food Purchase Program (SFPP) designates lead agencies in all 67 counties to receive funds for food purchases, a vital investment, especially for smaller food pantries in less resource-rich areas.  

Map the Meal Gap, now in its fifteenth year, is the only study that provides local-level estimates of food insecurity and food costs for every county and congressional district. The study builds upon USDA’s most recent report of national and state data, which showed 47 million people, including 14 million children, experienced food insecurity in 2023, the highest rate in more than a decade. Map the Meal Gap emphasizes the need for the public to join the movement to end hunger. Additional key takeaways can be found on the Map the Meal Gap website, along with an interactive map that details food insecurity by geography, income, race, and ethnicity. 

About Feeding Pennsylvania 
Feeding Pennsylvania is the state association of Pennsylvania’s nine Feeding America partner food banks. Collective efforts support member food banks in securing food and other resources to alleviate hunger and food insecurity in communities across Pennsylvania and provide a unified voice on the issues of anti-hunger policy. Feeding Pennsylvania member food banks serve over 1.5 million people annually by distributing more than 237 million pounds of food through a network of more than 2,700 agencies. 

MEDIA CONTACT:
Lauren Duff
ld***@*******pa.org
717-257-9855                                   

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