How The Farm Bill Affects Hunger*

 By Emma Kornetsky, Government Affairs Manager

Graphics by Feeding America
Header Photography: by Anthony Albright via Flickr/CC BY 

 

Eighty percent of the Farm Bill’s funding goes toward nutrition, with the biggest program being the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP (formerly known as food stamps). SNAP is our nation’s first line of defense against hunger, serving 1 in 7 Pennsylvanians and 1 in 10 residents of NJ.

 

SNAP provides twelve times more meals than all of the Feeding America food banks in the country combined. It is an efficient and effective program that dramatically reduces hunger. It helps working families, seniors, children, and people with disabilities . Not only does it reduce hunger, it improves education, health, and financial outcomes for recipients!

Pie chart in shape of orange slice demonstrating for every one meal that Feeding America provides, SNAP provides 12 meals.

 

We can all agree that people shouldn’t go hungry, but how do we get there? Food banks like Philabundance are an important part of that plan, but we can’t solve hunger alone. The Farm Bill is designed to protect and support the people who make our food, and it also ensures that food gets in the hands of people who need it. SNAP doesn’t only help its recipients, it benefits ALL OF US through the boost to the economy it provides. The money given in SNAP benefits is injected straight back into local economies, supporting jobs at grocery stores and farms, and all along the food chain. Just in Philadelphia alone, SNAP generated $1.4 billion in economic activity in 2016.

 

 

Just a 10 percent cut to SNAP would force Philabundance to more than double our provision of food to make up the gap, and that is an impossible task. The emergency food system is already stretched thin.

And yet, there are lawmakers who want to cut SNAP, and will try to do so through the Farm Bill. When people lose their SNAP benefits, they will turn to emergency food banks like Philabundance and our partner agencies, which makes us seriously concerned. Just a 10 percent cut to SNAP would force Philabundance to more than double our provision of food to make up the gap, and that is an impossible task. The emergency food system is already stretched thin.

 

Cuts to SNAP would mean turning people away or giving them less food. It would mean a dramatic increase in hunger. As it stands, SNAP benefits are not enough. Far too many people still go hungry. SNAP should be strengthened and expanded, not cut.

 

The Farm Bill, this vital piece of legislation which funds SNAP, is up for renewal this year. Please take 30 seconds to sign up for AdvocacyNow to stay informed about what you can do to protect SNAP and make sure we pass a strong Farm Bill for all of us!

 


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Philabundance Awards 49 Member Agencies with Capacity Grants

Philabundance Awards 49 Member Agencies with Capacity Grants

Philabundance has announced $250,000 in 2025–2027 Capacity Grants for 49 member agencies across Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. This funding will provide the operational capital needed to allow organizations to remain flexible and able to adapt to changing needs.

From faith-based institutions in Delaware County to social service agencies meeting the needs of diverse families across Philadelphia County, the 2025–2027 Philabundance Capacity grantees are among the hundreds of organizations that partner with Philabundance to support the more than 600,000 individuals in our region experiencing food insecurity.

The grantees include

  • Bucks County: Bucks County Opportunity Council; Faith Baptist Church
  • Delaware County: Blessed Virgin Mary; Loaves & Fishes; Prayer Chapel Church of God in Christ
  • Mercer County: Prince of Peace Center
  • Montgomery County: Bethel Community Church; ElderNet of Lower Merion and Narberth; Grace Lutheran Norristown; Love Works Resource Center; Mitzvah Circle; Upper Merion Area Community Cupboard; Patrician Society
  • Philadelphia County: African Family Health Organization; Alexander McClure Elementary School; Bebashi; Bethany Missionary Baptist Church; Breaking Bread on Broad; Bright Hope Baptist Church; Broad Street Love; Brothers of Strawberry Mansion; Calvary Agape Outreach Services; Casa Del Carmen; Cast Your Cares; Christ Apostolic WOSEM; Community Center at Visitation; Episcopal Community Services; The Family Practice & Counseling Network; First Church Worship Center; Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry; Grace Community Christian Center; Kensington Health Sciences Academy; Lutheran Settlement House; Mighty Writers; Mi Salud Wellness; Nationalities Services Center; North Light Community Center; Old Pine Community Center; Open Door Ministries; Our Brothers Place; Paul L Dunbar School; Project H.O.M.E.; Southwest Family Service Center; St. Paul Outreach; Word In Action International Ministries
  • York County: Bethlehem Baptist Church; Mattie Dixon Community Center
  • Southern New Jersey: Puerto Rican Unity for Progress; SisterHood Inc.

Philabundance Capacity Grants help improve each organization’s ability to operate more efficiently and deliver effective food distribution programs and services. To date, $4.4 million dollars in Philabundance Capacity Grants have been allocated for capacity-building infrastructure, such as refrigerators, freezers, refrigerated vans and technology to empower community partners and improve the food distribution network.

“As federal resources continue to shrink and hunger remains a distressing reality in the Greater Philadelphia region, community-based nonprofits are often a lifeline for families in need of healthy food,” said Loree D. Jones Brown, CEO of Philabundance. “Investing directly in our partners and their infrastructure allows us to swiftly and efficiently meet the needs of thousands of our friends and neighbors experiencing food insecurity.”

“Breaking Bread on Broad is [very] grateful for the new refrigerators we will be able to purchase with our Philabundance grant,” said Dan Seltzer, co-leader of Breaking Bread on Broad (BBoB). “Breaking Bread on Broad is the food pantry of Congregation Rodeph Shalom whose mission is to provide our neighbors in need with food, diapers and period supplies each week. With this grant, we will be able to provide our BBoB neighbors with more fresh fruits, vegetables, and protein to better feed their families.”

“​​With this funding, Casa Del Carmen will invest in critical hardware—such as commercial refrigeration, durable shelving, metal prep-table and mini hand pallet jack—that will enhance the efficiency and reliability of our food pantry operations,” said Janet DeJesus, office manager at Casa Del Carmen. “These improvements will allow us to store more fresh and nutritious food, reduce waste, and serve our neighbors more quickly and with greater dignity. By strengthening our infrastructure, we are not only improving daily logistics but also deepening our commitment to food security and community well-being.”

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