For Father’s Day my favorite child gave me a nice Gift Certificate to a south county meat market.
Alas, the certificate bought less than I expected. For example, a three pound pack of ground chuck patties which had been $17.97 now costs $23.97 – a 33% jump! That thick-cut strip steak that used to be on sale for $9.99 a pound? Now $22.99 a pound, with no sale in sight.
My regular grocery store seems to have cured itself from their addiction to sale prices too. The weekly circulars use much less paper and everyday prices keep trickling up, such as red potatoes from 99¢ a pound to $1.79.
Now, for my wife and I the higher prices are a nuisance.
For the one Missourian in nine on food stamps – soon to be one in eight or even one in seven – those higher prices mean less food in their cart and more reliance on food pantries.
Remember, during the first days of the pandemic Congress, with the president’s approval, added value to the average food stamp benefit by giving all recipients the maximum allocation, providing special help to families with school-age kids, and, trimming some of program paperwork. As noted in Missouri’s May food stamp statistics, the average benefit per person per meal is now about 55¢ higher than it was a couple of months ago. That really helped families as they dealt with lost jobs and rising food prices.
Now talk of slashing benefits again fills Washington. Step One: end the pandemic bonus. Step Two: cut benefits and make it harder to qualify for food assistance.
First, a few words from a friend…
“COVID-19 is taking a toll on Americans, threatening food security, health, and economic well-being in both the short term and long term,” said Luis Guardia, president of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)…During an economic downturn, each $1 in SNAP benefits generates between $1.50 and $1.80 in economic activity.” — FRAC article June 18, 2020
Families don’t bank food stamps, they spend them at local groceries and farmers markets. That helps the struggling family and those working in stores.
Yet, as I’ve covered many times, even under the best of circumstances food stamps do not cover all a healthy family’s food budget. Virtually every family getting stamps also needs free food from pantries. The enhanced benefits may mean they need less help but even with the higher allocation stamps are not enough.
So, when the administration and its friends in Congress call for an end to the enhanced benefits and re-imposing a bunch of paperwork requirements in coming months, well, please be sacred. When the GOP talks lowering the number assisted by food stamps and the amount they get, be mad.
The number of families needing food stamps after the 2008/2009 recession didn’t peak until 2010 and didn’t begin to decline until late 2013. This debacle seems to be following the same trend, meaning increased need for food stamps will continue for several years. Slashing the program increases pain for families and puts more pressure on food pantries.
Please let Missouri’s two U. S. Senators – Roy Blunt [202/224-5721] and Josh Hawley [202/224-6154] – know that you want to continued the current, enhanced food stamp benefit levels, and, that you oppose any cuts or impediments to struggling Missouri families getting help.
It’s a small step but it will help.
By the way, my daughter doesn’t like being called my favorite: she’s an only child.
Glenn Koenen