Montgomery County federal, state and local officials protest SNAP cuts, changes

State Representative Joe Ciresi and Senator Art Haywood, both Democrats from Montgomery County, discussed the impact of changes and cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

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“SNAP has enabled low-income Pennsylvanians to put food on their families’ tables for decades, supporting our communities’ social health and economic stability,” Ciresi stated. “At a time when food insecurity is on the rise in Montgomery County, the federal budget cuts and changes to SNAP will affect our communities like an asteroid hitting Earth. There will be a ground zero, with ripples extending outward from the impact. None of us will be unaffected.”

Ciresi pointed out that food insecurity is increasing in Montgomery County as SNAP cuts are being implemented. According to Feeding America, 9.9% of Montgomery County’s population—approximately 85,500 people—faced food insecurity in 2023, and 40% of the population fell below the SNAP threshold. A 2024 Montgomery County report revealed that SNAP enrollment has tripled, rising from 17,194 in 2004 to 62,700 in 2023.

“At ground zero, it’s the 144,000 Pennsylvanians—430 in my district—who will lose 100% of their SNAP benefits. These food-insecure individuals now have to choose between eating and spending money on necessities like rent, utilities, transportation, or even laundry detergent for clean clothes.