Hunger in America is not inevitable; it is the direct result of policy choices. Right now, at least 47 million Americans are struggling with hunger, and that number is growing.
On July 4, 2025, the partisan “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) became law, and with it some of the most destructive cuts and changes to SNAP since the program’s inception. The final bill slashed an estimated $187 billion from the program over the next 10 years, a massive reduction that has already contributed to an estimated 4.7 million people dropping off the program.
The law shifts heavy financial burdens off of the federal government and onto states by raising their share of administrative costs from 50% to 75% and, for the first time in history, requiring them to cover a percentage of actual food benefit costs — a strain on state budgets that will force incredibly difficult choices between further reducing eligibility, raising revenue, or withdrawing from SNAP entirely. It also aggressively expanded strict work requirements to previously exempted groups, including older adults up to age 65, parents whose youngest child is 14 or over, veterans, former foster youth, and the unhoused. With the stroke of a pen, millions lose access to SNAP, and more people are hungry.
Policy created this crisis, and policy can reverse it — but only if we demand clear, unwavering commitments from those seeking office. There is a longstanding Jewish tradition of asking questions, one we embrace at MAZON. So in the months, weeks, and days leading up to this year’s elections, we invite you to directly ask candidates about America’s hunger crisis and how they plan to address it.
How to use this resource:
This is intended to help guide non-partisan issue advocacy for Jewish institutions and individuals engaging their communities and candidates on the hunger crisis this election season.
- Ask questions at candidate events. It doesn’t need to be a forum. If a candidate is taking questions at any community event or on any platform, you can be ready with questions for them.
- Send this toolkit to someone hosting a forum. If a communal organization you’re connected to is hosting a candidate event, send the following page of questions to their moderator and urge them to ask questions about hunger.
- Host a candidate forum. Work with your congregation, community group, or organization to host a forum for candidates seeking office. Check out our additional resources for tips on hosting a candidate forum.
- Equip others in your community to ask questions. Think through the likely places that lawmakers and candidates would visit on their campaign trail — i.e. synagogues, schools, food banks, and more — and share these resources with leaders of those places.
Download our resource here.
Additional Resources
Leading Without Endorsing: Guidance for Jewish Clergy: A succinct case for non- partisanship while still wielding your voice, including six ways clergy can meaningfully show up in the public square. A resource from A More Perfect Union, created in a rich cross-denominational partnership.
A Step-by-Step Nonprofit’s Guide to Planning, Publicizing and Hosting a Candidate Forum: True to its name, this guide lays out to-dos (and not-to-dos) month-by-month and day of the event, making this accessible for any organization. A resource from Nonprofit VOTE.
Faith in Fair Elections: Action & Communication Toolkit: Provides ready-to-use actions, communications, and resources to help Jewish institutions engage their communities in supporting free, fair, safe, and accessible elections. A resource from A More Perfect Union.