My family and I are among the many in Oregon who have been affected by the crisis around the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. As someone who relies on this food assistance monthly, I understand how upsetting it may be when benefits are reduced or delayed.

SNAP benefits our entire community. Many families struggle as a result of the increased cost of food combined and the loss of income for nutrient-dense meals. Currently about one in eight people (and one in six children) in Oregon live in food‐insecure households, meaning they must worry where their next meal will come from.

The rate of food scarcity in Oregon has risen to about 12 percent of all households since the end of the pandemic, up from about 9 percent before the pandemic. That means more families fearing when they’ll get their next healthy meal.

Losing income often means making choices no parent or guardian wants to make: choosing whether to pay rent or buy food, feeding your children healthy meals or cheaper processed options so they can afford other necessities, maybe even whether to skip a meal so a child or younger sibling can eat.

No one should have to worry when they will eat next. These are not just statistics, they are our daily reality. We can share what we have, help out at food banks, tell others where to find free meals and food pantries. Donating extra cans or cooking extra food for a neighbor if you can might make all the difference. I personally hope people keep speaking up so the government knows how much these cuts are hurting us and our communities. 

Piper Gill
Eugene