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Dear Friends,
This fall, thousands of children in our community returned to school – many of them relying on those first two meals of the day served at school to keep them going. You already know what it means to send a child to school with a full stomach. Food is not just nourishment. It’s focus. It’s energy. It’s dignity.
At JFS, we serve more than 8,000 clients across all our programs – and the vast majority depend on SNAP benefits to help feed their families. But this past summer, Congress approved a federal budget bill that includes an estimated $300 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) over the next decade. These cuts, which begin phasing in by 2027, threaten vital support for millions of Americans, including families right here in Massachusetts. Uncertainty for SNAP recipients has only increased due to the prolonged government shutdown, with many states limiting or reducing November benefits.
In 2022 alone, more than 346,000 children in Massachusetts relied on SNAP to eat. These aren’t statistics; they’re our neighbors, classmates, and coworkers.
Seventy percent of SNAP households in our state live below the federal poverty line – just $19,720 for a family of two. A family of four receives an average of $975 a month in SNAP assistance. That’s often the difference between sending a child to school with a lunchbox or with an apology note. Between breakfast before class, or nothing at all.
This bill doesn’t just cut benefits. It shifts responsibility to the states, undoing decades of progress and undermining the federal commitment that access to food is a right – not a privilege, and never a political bargaining chip.
We know that children who have consistent, healthy meals perform better in school, score higher on tests, and experience better long-term health. When we weaken SNAP, we don’t just reduce benefits – we compromise futures.
We cannot let this happen!
At JFS, we are taking action. Through our Lucy and Joe Press Food Pantry and our network of community partners, we are expanding our capacity to meet the growing need, while advocating for lasting, systemic change.
But we cannot do it alone. And we must start preparing now.
Your gift today to the JFS Crisis Response Fund will help ensure families continue to have access to the food they need – tomorrow, and in the years ahead.
Because every child deserves the chance to learn, to grow, and to thrive, without hunger standing in the way.
With gratitude,
Ian Rubin, Board President Lino Covarrubias, CEO
JFS’ sound fiscal management practices and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned it a multi-year 4-star rating from Charity Navigator (with a perfect score of 100% – less than one-tenth of 1% of charities rated earn a perfect score!) so, you can have confidence that your donation will drive change and make a difference.
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