May 10, 2017 Senator Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senate Senator Edward Markey, U.S. Senate Representative Michael Capuano Representative Honorable Katherine Clarke Representative Honorable William Keating Representative Joseph Kennedy III Representative Stephen Lynch Representative James McGovern Representative Seth Moulton Representative Richard Neal Representative Niki Tsongas

Dear Members of the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation:

The Massachusetts Food Association, the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, the Food Bank Coalition of Massachusetts (made up of the Greater Boston, Worcester County, Merrimack Valley and Western Massachusetts food banks), the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute and Massachusetts Public Health Association wish to extend our deep appreciation for your ongoing leadership to protect and support federal nutrition programs over the years. We also write to share our concern over federal proposals that could limit access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through block grants, program cuts or waivers that would restrict the ability of low- income residents of Massachusetts and throughout the nation to meet their basic nutrition needs.

As food retailers, we recognize the importance of treating all our customers fairly and offering food products that meet a range of household budgets. The SNAP program allows our lowest-income customers the dignity and ability to purchase food that meets their family’s dietary and cultural needs. The SNAP program also delivers nutrition benefits efficiently through the EBT system, enabling food retailers throughout the nation to process payments uniformly. Because EBT is interoperable between states, food retailers can accept SNAP customers from border-states, customers who seek the best prices to stretch their limited benefits. Should SNAP become block granted or administered by states, the inconsistencies in state policies and lack of portability could have dire consequences on both retailers and customers.

When the Massachusetts SNAP caseload increased in tandem with unemployment during the Great Recession, SNAP helped maintain demand for food and stimulated the local economy, including creation of more jobs. In federal fiscal year 2016, eligible Massachusetts SNAP residents received and spent over $1.2 billion in SNAP EBT benefits for food purchases in the Commonwealth. Over 90% of Massachusetts SNAP recipients live in households with minor children, elders or persons with severe disabilities. The majority of children live with working parents. SNAP can only be used to purchase food at USDA-approved EBT retailers. The SNAP program is an important public-private partnership that meets a critical basic need, is efficient and an effective response to hunger.

As food banks that distribute emergency and supplemental food – often donated by retailer partners – we know that donated food cannot fill the meal gap that could be caused by restricting access to or reducing SNAP benefits. During economic downturns, natural disasters and changes in population demographics, SNAP has responded appropriately and comprehensively to the increased need in ways the emergency food programs and charities could not.

As a core safety-net program, SNAP has the flexibility to respond to ever changing population dynamics including the continued growth of older adults, especially in New England states as the “Baby Boomer” population seeks to age in place. SNAP has been essential in responding to needy families during seasonal unemployment, especially with the ebbs and flows of tourism, fishing and farming in the coastal and rural areas of the Commonwealth.

We urge the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation to seek bi-partisan solutions to ensure SNAP is fully funded, and to defend SNAP from cuts or block grants. We believe that low-income families, the public health of local communities, the economy and country are stronger when all residents in Massachusetts and throughout the United States have access to the nutrition needed to live healthy and productive lives. The Massachusetts food retailers, food banks and state-wide public health and advocacy organizations stand ready to work with you to protect and support SNAP and all federal nutrition programs that serve our most vulnerable residents.

Should you have questions, or would like additional information, please contact Patricia Baker, Mass Law Reform Institute [email protected] or Kristine St Cyr, Mass Public Health Association, [email protected]. Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.

Sincerely,

Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Massachusetts Public Health Association

Greater Boston Food Bank Merrimack Valley Food Bank

Massachusetts Law Reform Institute Retailers Association of Massachusetts

Massachusetts Food Association Worcester County Food Bank