Support increased funding for the
Hunger Prevention & Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP)
The Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly the SNAP Homeless and Destitute Program) is the major source of state funding for food pantries, soup kitchens shelters and food banks to assist them in their effort to provide food to hungry and homeless individuals.
The current level of state assistance to food pantries and soup kitchens is the same as it was in 1990. A report by the Hunger Action Network showed that the number of individuals fed by food pantries and soup kitchens increased by 20% in 1996 to more than 1 million per month. According to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, in their most recent report on hunger and the homeless, the demand for emergency food rose by 16% in 1997.
In August, 1997, the full federal Welfare Reform package cut billions from the Welfare budget. The largest cut, $27 billion, came from the funding for food stamps-the largest source of public assistance for low-income working families.
The households hit hardest by the cuts are those that make less than 50% of the federal poverty level (less than $6700 annually for a family of three).
HPNAP pays only a small portion of the costs involved in running the state’s network of emergency feeding programs. However, HPNAP is invaluable in enabling these emergency feeding programs to purchase foods with a high nutritional quality. HPNAP also assists programs in meeting their transportation and capital equipment needs.
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Page Created February 1, 2000.
Page Last Updated February 1, 2000.