City Council Condemns Federal Decision To End SNAP Benefits

The Massachusetts City Council condemned President Trump’s plan to end SNAP benefits, which currently assist over 1. 1 million residents in the state. The resolution highlights that 32% of SNAP beneficiaries are children, and the decision could exacerbate food insecurity, particularly among vulnerable groups. It states that every $1 in SNAP benefits can increase GDP by $1. 54, underscoring the program's economic importance.

The resolution criticizes the Trump Administration's new eligibility restrictions, which could harm over 150,000 residents, including working parents and veterans. The Council describes these actions as “policy violence” and emphasizes that food is a basic human right. Local leaders, including Governor Maura Healey and organizations like the United Way, are urging the President to reverse the decision. They call for the immediate deployment of $5. 8 billion in contingency funds held by the U.

S. Department of Agriculture to maintain SNAP benefits. Ending SNAP will likely quadruple demand on local food banks and deepen food insecurity across Massachusetts.