NEW SNAP/FOOD STAMP WORK REQUIREMENTS HURT FLORIDA FAMILIES, TARGET RURAL AREAS

The over 300,000 Floridians who qualify for SNAP (food stamps) now face a work requirement which took effect on January 1st, 2017. Particularly in rural communities where jobs are far and few between, this new requirement threatens the ability for many to feed their families. State Senators Bill Montford and Dwight Bullard have spoken out against reinstating the work requirement saying that state is diverse and economic standing varies.

“Especially in North Florida, in these rural counties that I represent, they have not felt this economic revival that people talk about,” Montford said. “Unemployment is still high. The jobs are not there. … The needs the SNAP program meets, I would say the needs in these rural counties are just as great as they were in 2009.”

“They’re being penalized even though they’re trying, even though their effort is good,” Bullard said.

Read more on this news in the Tampa Bay Business Journal and find your elected officials to tell them this new work requirement is unjust.