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Proposed federal budget cuts to food and health programs will deepen the already serious hunger crisis facing 1 in 3 Massachusetts families. The Sudbury Community Food Pantry (SCFP) urges the public and policymakers to understand what’s at stake for thousands of vulnerable residents who rely on safety-net programs to survive.
This week, the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) and Mass General Brigham reported that more than 1 in 3 Massachusetts households – approximately 2 million adults – faced food insecurity over the previous 12 months. Very low food security, the most severe form, affected 24% of Massachusetts residents – roughly 1.7 million statewide. This marks a continued rise from previous years, underscoring how surging food and housing costs, combined with rollbacks of pandemic-era Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, have deepened the crisis. SNAP provides basic food assistance to 1 of every 5 children in the U.S. and notably, 59% of Massachusetts households receiving SNAP relied on food pantries like SCFP to meet their monthly needs.
The Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” recently passed by the U.S. House and currently being debated in the U.S. Senate, would disqualify many low-income households, particularly single-parent families and older caregivers from benefits and cut federal nutrition and health supports by nearly $300 billion through 2034 – including at least $92 billion from SNAP, the largest cut in its history, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
The effects of these proposed cuts extend beyond SNAP. Reduced enrollment would limit eligibility for school meals and could dismantle the Community Eligibility Provision, which currently allows 469 schools across Massachusetts to provide free meals to over 221,000 students. Without federal support, the state would need to backfill nearly $700 million annually to maintain those services.
Simultaneously, proposed reductions to USDA nutrition programs such as TEFAP and LAMP would further disrupt emergency food access. The USDA recently canceled more than $3 million worth of food for Massachusetts – nearly $2.3 million was scheduled to come to GBFB, close to 105,000 cases of protein, dairy, and produce. Since USDA commodities make up about 18% of GBFB’s supply, this represents a major loss.
These shortfalls trickle down to pantries like SCFP, which relies on the GBFB for 62% of the food we distribute. We also rely on USDA-supported partnerships with local farms. Cuts to USDA grants may force farms to pull out of food access programs or raise prices, limiting SCFP’s ability to distribute fresh, healthy food.
The bill’s threats go beyond food. MassHealth, Massachusetts’ Medicaid program, is jointly funded by the state and federal government. Proposed Medicaid cuts would slash over $1.75 billion in funding and jeopardize healthcare access for more than 250,000 residents. According to recent redetermination data, nearly 363,000 people – 16% of prior MassHealth enrollees – have already lost coverage. Analysts warn that enrollment could fall up to 19% if federal match rates are reduced or capped. Without health coverage, many low-income residents may be forced to choose between medical care and groceries.
“This is a perfect storm,” said Chris Goff, SCFP’s Distribution Manager. “As government benefits disappear, food banks are asked to do more with less. But we’re already strained by inflation and rising demand.”
Vivian Zeng, Sudbury’s Director of Public Health, agrees. “Food insecurity doesn’t exist in isolation,” she said. “When families are forced to choose between paying rent, buying groceries, or filling a prescription, it creates toxic stress. That stress affects physical health, child development, and long-term community well-being.”
Food pantries across Massachusetts are bracing for the cascading impact that will place increased strain on volunteers and diminished resources, especially among all-volunteer organizations like SCFP.
For more information or to support SCFP, visit www.sudburyfoodpantry.org.
John Thomas is the Executive Director of the Sudbury Community Food Pantry