Members of Congress are in recess this week, many of whom are hosting town halls and constituent meetings. Let’s keep up the drum roll to protect and defend SNAP! And don’t forget the March 25th SNAP Coalition Meeting from 10 to 11:30. Agenda and zoom link to come soon!
30 MA Mayors Urge Members of Congress to Protect SNAP
Thanks to Worcester Mayor Petty, 30 mayors signed onto a letter to our Congressional Delegation urging them to protect and defend SNAP. Municipalities and local businesses would not be able to back-fill any SNAP cuts to constituents!
ACTION STEPS:
- If your Mayor signed on, please THANK them for doing so. Please consider writing a letter to the editor or Op Ed in your local media outlet (let us know if you need sample LTE or Op Ed language).
- If your municipal leader did not, please urge them to also reach out to the Delegation.
Over 130 MA SNAP Households Share Impact of Potential SNAP Cuts
In our Coalition eblast last Thursday, we included a survey for SNAP households to let us know how the potential cuts to SNAP proposed by the Republicans (for ex. a $40 cut in their monthly SNAP) might impact them. 138 families have responded so far, sharing that any SNAP cuts would directly impact their ability to buy healthy foods including fresh fruits, vegetables, protein, snacks for kids, special diets for older adults and persons with disabilities. We are sharing the bulk of their responses with the MA Congressional Delegation (not recipient identifying information, but the city/ geographic area and story in their own words).
ACTION STEP: Please urge your clients to share their stories with their Member of Congress this week! And the SNAP recipient survey form is still open.
SNAP Campaign to Improve DTA Access/Customer Service: Ask your State Rep/Senator to Co-Sponsor!
SNAP applicants and recipients continue to struggle with getting through the DTA Assistance Line for their required interview or to reach a worker to report changes or ask questions about proof documents. Based on DTA’s February 2025 Performance Scorecard:
- The SNAP caseload went down for the 7th month in a row - down by nearly 18,000 households since August 2024. The reduction is out-pacing economic changes for families - during a time where food prices continue to increase.
- Since July 2023 about 1 in 2 callers trying to reach a worker were cut-off due to high call volume. In February -, 68% of calls were automatically hung up on.
- SNAP application volume remains high as the state and partners seek to tackle participation gaps. In February, SNAP applications dropped slightly to 33,300 applications, largely due to a reduction in MassHealth SNAP checkbox applications coming to DTA. (The last time application volume dipped to 33,000 applications a month was in June 2024, again, when MassHealth applications went down, and then volume quickly increased to between 36,400 and 46,600 each month since.)
Meanwhile, members of MA Legislature have shared with MLRI that constituents are calling them because they cannot get through the DTA Assistance Line to speak with a live worker. DTA is trying to rectify the problem, but is struggling to tread water. Bottom line, the Healey Administration needs to get DTA the resource it needs. ask for them. Otherwise, eligible families go without federal benefits and MA grocers/farmers suffer as well.
This session, State Rep James Arena de Rosa and Senator Michael Moore filed H. 196 and S. 167, Act to maximize participation in federal nutrition programs/improve customer service. The bill requires EOHHS tell the MA Legislature what funding/resources (staff and IT) DTA needs to improve SNAP and timely customer service.
ACTION STEPS:
- Check out our Fact Sheet on H. 196/S.167
- Please urge your Rep and Senator to sign on as a co-sponsor! Click HERE to find your State Rep and Senator
