Letter: Cuts to the SNAP program will take food from the mouths of babes
Steve Griffin / The Salt Lake Tribune
Salt Lake County Jail inmate Alex Harward smiles as senior citizens at the Liberty Active Aging Center shop for vegetables at the Salt Lake County Jail Horticulture Program's modified farmers market in Salt Lake City, Monday Oct. 24, 2016. The Jail Horticulture Program has been donating its harvest to every active aging center at least once throughout the season. This year's harvest has been so bountiful they are making another round of visits. The Salt Lake County Jail Horticulture Program collaborates with the Salt Lake County Active Aging Center, Green Urban Lunchbox and USU Extension Program for the event. The jail's garden is on about 2 acres behind the jail on 900 West and 3300 South.
By Debbie Baskin | The Public Forum
| March 5, 2018, 2:23 p.m.
| Updated: 4:49 p.m.
Who would have thought you would need to defend feeding a hungry child?
President Trump’s budget proposes deep cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, previously known as food stamps).
Here in Utah, over 80 percent of SNAP recipients are families with children. Although most of these children’s parents are employed, these low-income families (especially those with very young children) are having difficulty keeping up with the cost of housing, child care and medical bills.
Currently, 1 in 3 preschool children receive help from SNAP. We know from decades of research that children who receive SNAP benefits do better in math and reading in elementary school and will go on to have better long-term health.
More cuts to the SNAP program will take food from the mouths of babes.
Debbie Baskin, Salt Lake City