Michigan Families for Fair Care Delivers Where Congressman Tom Barrett Has Failed, By Delivering Nearly $2000 Of Food To Lansing Families Amid Federal SNAP Cuts
Yesterday, Michigan Families for Fair Care and For Our Future Michigan held a community food drive in front of Congressman Tom Barrett’s office in Lansing, providing essential food resources to Michiganders facing the impact of proposed federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit cuts.
Currently, over 30,000 households in Michigan’s 7th congressional district rely on SNAP benefits, over a third of whom either have a child, an elderly person, or a person with a disability. The event drew community members concerned about threats to critical nutrition assistance programs following Congressman Tom Barrett's vote to give tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy as part of the GOP Tax Scam.
The food drive addressed the urgent needs of Michigan families as SNAP, which currently serves thousands of households across the state, faces deep funding cuts. These cuts come as a direct result of House Republicans prioritizing tax breaks for billionaires over essential nutrition assistance for working families.
The event not only provided immediate food assistance by collecting nearly $2000 worth of donations but also served as an educational opportunity for community members to learn about the ongoing threats to SNAP and other critical nutrition programs.
“As a former school teacher, I’m thinking about my students and their families,” said advocate Jill Murphy, who stood with the group in support. Murphy says she knows the importance of food in a child’s life.“So for me, seeing my students who have not had access to that, I’ve seen their level of interest go down, their level of knowledge go down, and just mentally overall just not good, which then can cause further harm down the road,” said Murphy.
“We’ve been around 50 years serving the community, but it’s never been this busy before,” said Jim Donaldson, Vice Chair of the pantry’s board. “It’s gonna be busier yet with food stamps being cut.”
The GOP Tax Scam continues to threaten essential services that Michigan families rely on daily. As Republicans in Congress move forward with policies that benefit billionaires at the expense of working families, community organizations like Michigan Families for Fair Care are working to address the immediate needs while advocating for better representation.
