In a newly penned op-ed for The Washington Post, former Food Network personality Rachael Ray urged Congress to protect and fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, which have been targeted with cuts and so-called “corrections” from the Trump administration.
“SNAP is one of the most effective ways to ensure kids have enough to eat: 1 in 5 children in the United States participate in the program,” Ray wrote. “This has a real impact on their future. Kids who receive SNAP do better in class and have a higher likelihood of graduating from high school. They’re also healthier than their counterparts who don’t have access to SNAP, in part because their families are less likely to have to sacrifice health care to pay for food or other necessities.”
She continued, “Beyond this, SNAP strengthens communities. When families spend their grocery benefits, those dollars are funneled directly back into local economies — supporting small businesses, local farmers and food producers.”
Ray pointed to her own upbringing with food, saying that she no longer had the budget to access or afford “many ingredients in the cookbooks I read” when she moved from Upstate New York to Manhattan as a young adult. “Food security is more than having something to eat: It’s the comfort of knowing that by not having to worry about food, you can focus on your future,” she added.
Ray’s op-ed comes more than two months after she, along with a group of over 150 chefs and culinary professionals from across the country, called on Congressional leaders to push back on President Trump and Republican lawmakers’ proposals to reduce federal spending for SNAP benefits nationwide.
“We know hunger is not just a statistic — it’s a reality we witness in our own communities and in the neighborhoods where we cook,” the letter stated. “Across the country, 40 million people, including 1 in 5 children, participate in the program. SNAP is a safe and effective way to feed children. It supplements a family’s food budget, ensuring they can provide nutritious meals without sacrificing other essential needs. No one should have to choose between paying rent and feeding their family.”
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According to the United States Department of Agriculture, an average of 42.1 million people per month, or 12.6 percent of U.S. residents, received SNAP benefits in fiscal year 2023.
“I know the life-changing power of food,” Ray said per No Kid Hungry, a national campaign run by the nonprofit Share Our Strength to help kids, families and communities combat hunger and poverty. “That’s why I’m deeply concerned about potential cuts to this vital program that helps put healthy food on the table for millions of families. SNAP is an investment in the health of our kids and the strength of our communities.”
Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” that’s moving through the Senate is expected to cut the SNAP by roughly 20 percent, The Washington Post reported based on the latest projection from the Congressional Budget Office. Republicans are also planning to increase work requirements for individuals who rely on food stamps. Per NBC News, “able-bodied adults under age 65 would be required to work 80 hours per month with exceptions for those with children under 10.”
