The COVID-19 crisis revealed what MAZON has known for years: while charity is crucial, only the federal government has the capacity to truly meet the needs of Americans facing hunger. SNAP allows people to get the food they need with dignity to choose how to nourish themselves and their families. SNAP is and always has been our country’s most effective defense against hunger.
Protecting SNAP for all who need it
By the Numbers
Urge Congress to Protect Life-Saving Federal Aid
President Trump released a swath of unlawful executive orders and issued a memo directing agencies to withhold approved federal grants, including those that provide assistance to millions of Americans facing food insecurity. The unilateral and unlawful freezing of federal aid — resources that have been provided by Congress — throws support for food security and other anti-poverty programs into jeopardy. While we do not yet know the impact of this policy directive, we know that it is reckless and cruel. It could have truly devastating consequences for Americans of all walks of life. MAZON is activating every tool at our disposal to fight back against this — please join us in calling on every Member of Congress to do the same.
Urge Congress to protect SNAP and lift up other MAZON priorities in the Farm Bill
The Farm Bill is one of the most transformational pieces of legislation that Congress regularly reauthorizes, and it is up for renewal. In addition to authorizing SNAP (food stamps) and other federal nutrition programs that serve tens of millions of Americans each year, the Farm Bill presents a unique opportunity to advance long-overdue policy solutions to the food security challenges of many special populations that MAZON prioritizes. Take action now.
Learn more
Congress Must Increase Funding for SNAP (Washington Post)
Abby J. Leibman, MAZON’s President & CEO, has a letter to the editor in the Washington Post about the Nov. 22 front-page article “Thanksgiving tenacity: ‘They can’t eat a gift card’.” Read More
By The Numbers: COVID-19 and Hunger
Before COVID-19, there were nearly 40 million people facing food insecurity. Now, with skyrocketing unemployment, we expect that there are over 80 million people at risk of hunger, and the numbers are still rising. Read more.
The U.S. Government’s Failed COVID-19 Response Echoes Historic Mistreatment of Native Americans
The U.S. government’s failed response to the COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating impacts across the country, but perhaps nowhere more than in Indian Country, where the neglect echoes historic mistreatment of Native Americans, experts said in a recent panel event hosted by MAZON. The panel, which coincided with Native American Heritage Month, featured experts in this field and addressed various ways to strengthen food security and food sovereignty in Indian Country. Read more.
Stay up to date on our news.