John,

I am a school custodian, a dad and a union leader writing to ask for your help in protecting vulnerable students and their families who are facing cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Republicans in Congress are refusing to negotiate a bipartisan solution to fix healthcare, fund the government and put workers first—and as a result, vulnerable Americans will suffer.

We have no time to waste; our communities need us to stand up. Click here to tell lawmakers and elected officials to reopen the government and protect SNAP.

School employees like me know what it’s like to worry about hungry students. We see students saving part of their lunch to bring home to a sibling or a parent. We know students often struggle more in class on Fridays because their focus is on what their family is going to eat over the weekend. SNAP, along with other nutrition programs like school meals, plays a critical role in helping children grow up healthy, academically engaged and more involved in extracurricular activities.

And it isn’t just students who come to mind when I think about SNAP funding running out. I think of my own members. School and college support staff are essential to our students and schools, yet often we do not make a living wage. Many of my members work multiple jobs to make ends meet, and they still have to rely on SNAP to feed their families.

SNAP will run out of money Nov. 1. And while the Trump administration and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins are required by law to continue funding SNAP, they have decided to ignore the law and abandon the millions of families, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities who need SNAP to survive.  

No one should go hungry in the United States. Click here to protect SNAP.

More than 40 million people, including 16 million children, 8 million seniors and 4 million people with disabilities, rely on SNAP. Nearly 16 million SNAP recipients in the past year were working people like us who needed an extra hand to feed their families. And in the history of the program, no matter what party was in power, Congress and past presidential administrations have always protected SNAP during previous shutdowns. This shutdown should be no different.

No one should have to choose between feeding their family and paying their rent. Tell your lawmakers and elected officials to ensure that the Trump administration and Secretary Rollins protect SNAP and help working families thrive.

Thank you.

In unity,
Carl Williams
Lawndale Federation of Classified Employees
President, Council of Classified Employees