Dear Friends,
On February 1st, new eligibility guidelines went into effect for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), requiring recipients to meet new work requirements. According to the Brookings Institute, those work requirements haven’t resulted in increased employment. Instead, more than 26,000 New Jersey residents have simply lost their SNAP benefits—so far. More losses will come as recipients must prove they are complying with a confusing 20-hour per week requirement and the paperwork that goes along with that every month.
800,000 New Jersey residents rely on SNAP, and many of them are already working. A new report by Feeding America found that in the four years after the pandemic, hunger in New Jersey nearly doubled. Since the most recent data was collected, unemployment, grocery inflation, and changes to benefits have further burdened people who are food insecure, meaning these numbers are likely underestimating the issue. Like a growing number of people across the nation, some SNAP recipients rely on seasonal work or gig-economy work that varies month to month. Others are piecing together work as they can get it, in an economy that has seen month after month of job losses across nearly every sector.
Meeting the work requirement is not a straightforward task, and it is only half the battle. The nuances of the work requirement are challenging, the paperwork is complicated and overwhelming, and recipients must have access to a computer to complete it—adding up to a heavy burden.
Beginning in January, new eligibility guidelines, including a similar work requirement, will go into effect for Medicaid—a program that currently serves 1 in 5 New Jersey residents. For those who maintain their coverage, they’ll have to re-apply every 6 months, making them vulnerable to a loss of coverage due to the complicated application process.
Many of Cathedral Kitchen’s guests are confused by these new and upcoming changes or are completely unaware of them. Without help, they will lose these life-saving benefit programs, even if they do meet the eligibility requirements, simply because they are unable to adequately prove their compliance or complete the paperwork correctly and on-time.
For 50 years, Cathedral Kitchen has been a trusted source of care in Camden, offering meals, basic needs, support services, and a pathway out of poverty. We share the concern and sadness that so many feel as sharply rising costs and cuts to benefit programs seriously threaten the stability of our most vulnerable neighbors. We are already seeing growing food insecurity among our seniors, those with a disability, and in households with children.
With the support of our volunteers, service partners, and funders, we will continue to be a beacon of hope. Our Empowerment Coaches are busy educating our guests about their benefits, helping them meet eligibility requirements, and working through the arduous paperwork to keep them safe and stable. For as long as there is need in the community, Cathedral Kitchen will be here.
Thank you for your enduring support,
Carrie Kitchen-Santiago
President/CEO
