My name is Katie Deabler, and I’m a Senior Attorney at the National Center for Law and Economic Justice. With our End-of-Year fundraising deadline quickly approaching, I’d like to talk to you about how your donation will help support our efforts to defend and expand access to SNAP benefits for low-income people.
The recent SNAP crisis during the government shutdown is yet another reminder that low-income communities are struggling even more than before thanks to the hostile policies of the Trump administration. As longtime leaders in SNAP litigation, NCLEJ has been sounding the alarm and fighting back against illegal barriers to access for decades. It is no exaggeration to say that we are one of the ONLY organizations in the nation with a dedicated program to SNAP litigation. We are the leaders in this field.
Though the shutdown may be over, I urge you to remain engaged. If you were angry that people were being unlawfully denied life-saving food benefits during the shutdown, you should still be angry because millions around the country are continuing to face ongoing SNAP agency dysfunction that prevents them from accessing the benefits to which they are entitled.
In Missouri, we are suing the Department of Social Services over their dysfunctional administration of SNAP. Last year, we secured a major legal victory with the Court ruled that the State’s practices – including wrongful denial of benefits resulting from a dysfunctional call center, and lack of disability accommodations – violate federal SNAP law, the Due Process Clause, and the ADA. We are currently defending our victories against the State’s shameful attempts to overturn them rather than fix their agency dysfunction.
The National Center for Law and Economic Justice advances racial and economic justice through ground-breaking impact litigation, policy advocacy, and support for grassroots organizing. We have provided legal representation and support since 1965.
