Beth Fiorenza
Submitted photo
By Beth Fiorenza | Tempe
Federal changes to programs that working families and vulnerable populations rely on have started to make an impact, reshaping local communities and the nonprofits that support them. From funding cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Emergency Food and Shelter Program to the elimination of entire workforce programs, cuts are minimizing the resources that local nonprofits can give to our communities.
The proposed policy changes to SNAP, more commonly known as food stamps, make it harder for individuals to qualify for the resources, increase the states’ cost to offer SNAP and eliminate essential jobs within local nonprofits.
The new SNAP standards will raise the age limit for work requirements applied to Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents, extending it to 65. People who were previously exempt from these requirements will now need to work or volunteer at least 20 hours per week or participate in a training program to maintain their benefits.
In Arizona, we are already seeing the negative impacts of reduced nonprofit funding and the uncertainty surrounding critical programs like SNAP.
The Senior Community Service Employment Program, a program assisting low-income, unemployed individuals aged 55 or older find employment, has completely been terminated. Without funding for this program, many nonprofits are facing impossible choices to maintain operations. NourishPHX had to terminate the eight employees assigned to SCSEP, scale back crucial services for clients and seek alternative resources.
When SNAP access is cut and programs are defunded, resources become strained and Arizona nonprofits struggle with wavering budgets due to high demand and limited volunteers and food availability.
Demands are not expected to ease, forcing nonprofits to continue fighting to manage resources to match the intense demand. Over the past two years, requests for our services — particularly food pantry support — have risen by 25% annually. EFSP was one of the impacted programs and that has made it much more difficult for food banks to collect donated food. We can’t utilize the program, the largest source for food purchases.
Not only are funding cuts restricting food banks’ access to food, corporate and individual donors have had to scale down donations and contributions as well. We’ve seen a nearly 20% decrease in charitable giving.
The hesitation to support nonprofits, the reduction in staffing, the limited access to resources and of course, the cuts to federal funding are damaging Arizona’s nonprofit sector and hurting those it serves.
While not all nonprofits rely on the federal government as a single source of funding, any small cut makes a difference on the number of employees and availability of resources for the most vulnerable population in the community.
Nonprofits that do lean on government partnerships may feel a double effect as more people are turning to them for help, even as the funding they rely on to operate continues to decrease.
While some of these program changes are not yet in full effect, it is vital our community is aware of the potential consequences. The negative impacts will only get worse if we do not do something about it now. Some of these changes will be permanent, changing how nonprofits operate here in our backyard and across the country.
We urge Arizonans to stay vigilant, stand up for those who cannot and ask how you can support local nonprofits.
Editor’s note: Beth Fiorenza is executive director of Phoenix-based nonprofit NourishPHX. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
Keywords
funding cuts,
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,
SNAP,
Emergency Food and Shelter Program,
EFSF,
nonprofits