To the editor,
As I write this, the federal government has been shut down for a month—far too long for the 42 million Americans, including 700,000 Wisconsinites, who rely on the …
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To the editor,
As I write this, the federal government has been shut down for a month—far too long for the 42 million Americans, including 700,000 Wisconsinites, who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help feed themselves and their families. SNAP funds will run out Nov. 1, and when that happens, food pantries across Wisconsin—including our western counties—will be overwhelmed. SNAP provides up to nine times more food assistance than all our pantries combined.
How much pain will Wisconsinites feel? About 12 percent of our neighbors receive SNAP benefits, and nearly 3 in 10 are seniors. The suspension of SNAP could not come at a worse time. Food insecurity is already rising, especially for retirees on fixed incomes whose living costs have grown faster than their Social Security checks. Without quick action, people will go to bed hungry, wake up hungry, and go to school or work hungry—the human cost of inaction. Are we the kind of people willing to deny food to the poor and the working poor?
At United Way, we know these households well. We call them ALICE—Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed. These are people holding full-time jobs, often with a side hustle, yet still unable to make ends meet. In Wisconsin, 35 percent of all households live at or below the ALICE threshold—more than 1 in 3 of our neighbors. Why so many? The basic costs of housing, food, and transportation have significantly outpaced wage growth in recent years. ALICE families live paycheck to paycheck, and many depend on SNAP to stretch those paychecks just enough to get by.
United Way will continue to stand beside our nonprofit partners who ease suffering and help people through tough times. But we can’t do it alone. Please urge your elected representatives to restore and protect SNAP funding immediately—our neighbors cannot wait.
And for readers who know of others in need, please urge them to reach out to United Way’s 211 by dialing 211 (or 877-947-2211). Available 24/7, 365 days a year, United Way's free and confidential 211 service connects people with trained Community Resource Specialists who listen and guide people to the support they need.
Live United for ALICE. Live United for your neighbors.
Steve McCarthy
Executive Director, United Way St. Croix & Red Cedar Valleys
Serving Burnett, Dunn, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, and St. Croix Counties
