SNAP Cost of Living Updates: Last week we shared that starting October 1, the SNAP income guidelines and maximum benefit amounts were increased as part of the program’s annual cost of living update. Please help us share this information widely among your networks to ensure everyone who qualifies for assistance through this program can get it.

SNAP Benefit Amounts Are Inadequate: While we are grateful for the annual cost of living updates that help SNAP benefits keep pace with inflation, these updates do not change the fact that benefits remain inadequate. According to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), “the maximum SNAP benefit does not cover the cost of a modestly priced meal in 78 percent of U.S. counties.”

At the Coalition Against Hunger, we believe that all people have a right to the food they need to lead healthy lives which is why increasing SNAP benefits is one of our priorities in the upcoming Farm Bill.

Upcoming Election: Election Day, Tuesday Nov. 7, is around the corner! It’s not too late to register to vote, but act fast because the deadline is Monday October 23. Monday October 23 is also the deadline if you need to update your voter registration. Learn more about how to register, how to update your voter registration, and where to find reliable information about your voting rights.

Do you have experience applying for and/or receiving SNAP benefits? We want to hear your story!

The Coalition Against Hunger is conducting a survey of those who have applied for and/or receive SNAP benefits in Philadelphia in order to gain a deeper understanding of the positives and negatives of the program. The experiences shared by you will be utilized to adjust our advocacy strategies and better serve our community.

Earlier this week we attended Temple’s World Food Day Festival! Students and faculty got free produce, learned about food & water justice issues, and talked to us about their eligibility for SNAP benefits.

Next week, on October 25th, we will be back at Temple to host a resource table with Cherry Pantry, the school run food pantry. We’ll be set-up outside the Howard Gittis Student Center Atrium, located at 1755 N 13th St from 11-1pm.

A case worker from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia contacted our SNAP Hotline regarding a young boy. He is 8 years old and is diagnosed with terminal cancer. His mother tried to apply for SNAP benefits for her son so that she could feed him the foods that he wanted in his last days, but she was denied. The case worker contacted us to assist the mother. We completed the application and the boy was approved for expedited benefits. The mother was so appreciative of our help, as she had no time to go to the County Assistance Office (CAO) and didn't speak English.

We were also able to provide her with easier ways to upload documentation and called the CAO to have them get the EBT card ready, so that she could get the card quicker than usual.