Last week, the future of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) funding was put at serious risk when the House of Representatives approved a draft federal budget that eliminates SNAP-Ed. These cuts would potentially translate into an approximate $800,000 loss to our annual operating budget and will impact our ability to serve Georgia families and provide more equitable access to the nutrition they need.
Looking ahead, the Senate will begin floor debate on the proposal next week, for a vote in early June, thus time is of the essence.
Open Hand provides direct nutrition education through these funds—last year alone we reached over 1,700 Georgians and delivered life-changing results. Participants reported significant improvements in fruit and vegetable intake, food security, confidence in grocery shopping and budgeting, and use of nutrition labels and grocery lists.
Our evidence-based intervention includes a 6-week Cooking Matters for Adults class paired with weekly produce baskets and extended support through monthly reunion sessions and continued produce distribution. The outcomes of our programs highlight the essential role they play in advancing preventive health, strengthening local food systems, and supporting Georgia’s underserved communities.
Just as troubling, the proposed budget includes changes to SNAP itself by reducing food assistance benefits and shifting more costs to state governments.
Roughly 1 in 8 Georgians rely on SNAP to put food on the table, and more than half are children. This will impact Georgia’s most vulnerable families, which is why we’re asking for your help:
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Contact your Senator and urge them to protect SNAP-Ed and SNAP!
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Call (and leave a message if necessary): this is the best method! Be sure to include your name and address so your Senator’s office can confirm that you’re their constituent.
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Example: “My name is [YOUR NAME] and I live at [YOUR ADDRESS]. I’m a supporter of Open Hand and am concerned about the proposed elimination of SNAP-Ed and restructuring of SNAP benefits. This program improves the health of Georgia families through evidence-based education and nutrition access. Please protect this funding and oppose cuts that will hurt our most vulnerable neighbors!”
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Directly support this life-changing work. Now more than ever, your gift matters. While we are actively looking for alternative funds to cover the costs of these crucial programs, your donation can help us deliver what we know works.
Providing access to nutrition for those who otherwise would not have it is a core tenet of what we do at Open Hand. That’s been true since we cooked and delivered our first meals to our neighbors living with HIV/AIDS in 1988. Nutrition access takes more than our commitment, however: it takes major funding, support from community, public, and health partners, and a belief in food as medicine.
It’s for these reasons that I write to you today, and we continue to keep you updated on this critical piece of legislation as it moves through Congress. Not in any way to sway your individual politics or to make a political statement: but to protect funding that supports our clients and continue to work towards nutrition for all.
Thank you for your continued understanding. This is not the first challenge Open Hand has overcome, nor will it be our last. We are resilient and resourceful! Together, we will continue to deliver love, dignity, and nutrition for many years to come.
With Gratitude,
Matthew Pieper
CEO, Open Hand
