A recent survey conducted by Propel, a company that has developed an app for food-stamp recipients to manage their balances, has illuminated the dire consequences of reduced federal aid for low-income families in the U.S. struggling to put food on the table, especially those with children. The survey found that over 4 in 10 families that previously received government benefits for groceries are now skipping meals, highlighting a significant surge in food insecurity among these households.
The pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program, initially authorized by Congress in 2020 to alleviate the impact of school closures due to COVID-19, aimed to provide families with funds to purchase groceries that would compensate for the absence of school meals. However, the funding for this program has dwindled by 70% since last summer. As a result, families that previously relied on P-EBT benefits are now grappling with heightened food insecurity, with the survey indicating that the rate of people missing meals has doubled compared to a year ago.
The survey revealed that 42% of households with P-EBT benefits skipped meals in August, a stark increase from the 20% rate recorded a year earlier. Additionally, 55% of these households reported eating less in August, compared to 27% in the previous year. Notably, the survey period coincides with the government’s decision to officially declare an end to the public health emergency in May, leading to further cutbacks in P-EBT benefits.
The economic recovery from the pandemic has been uneven, and despite the reopening of schools and general improvement in economic conditions, the reduction in nutritional aid for low-income households has aggravated hunger concerns across the U.S. This situation is compounded by inflation and elevated grocery prices, putting families in a precarious position.
The challenges faced by households with children extend beyond food insecurity. The survey highlighted that about 1 in 5 households with children were behind on their rent payments, compared to 10% of childless households. Additionally, nearly one-third of families with children were struggling to keep up with utility payments, in contrast to 16% of households without children.
Census data from a seven-day period ending on August 7 showed that roughly 12% of U.S. adults, or nearly 23 million people, lived in households where there was a chronic shortage of food. In some states, such as Mississippi, this figure approached 20%, underscoring the urgent need for continued support to alleviate food insecurity among vulnerable populations.
