Sen. Durbin says USDA cuts could put struggling families at risk of going hungry

CHICAGO — Senator Dick Durbin says struggling Illinois families are at risk of going hungry as the threats of more cuts loom over the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Earlier this month, the USDA announced cuts to more than $1 billion in funding that was set to go to local farms and schools for meals.

Senator Durbin says he fears further cuts will impact families that are already struggling to get by.

Durbin spent his morning at the headquarters of Nourishing Hope, one of the largest and longest-operating hunger relief organizations in Chicago, to discuss the impact of the Trump Administration’s funding cuts to the USDA.

According to Durbin, halting critical programs like the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program and the Illinois Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program could lead to increased food insecurity across the state.

“New partners are reaching out saying there are students, mothers, older adults in the community, that need a monthly allotment of groceries to help them have more dollars to go further to pay rent, utilities and medical bills,” Natia Barnett, Program Expansion Manager at Nourishing Hope, said.

Organizers from the organization say the need for food assistance has not gone away and the need for their services has only increased.

“We’re currently providing 35% more services than we did last year,” Barnett said.

The cuts come at a time when the Trump Administration is trying to reduce the size and scope of the federal government.

Durbin says there is great concern for future funding for other crucial programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program also known as SNAP.

“If we cut back on this SNAP program, which averages $6.40 a day in food assistance, $6.40 a day. And they want to cut back on it? Let me just tell you, that is inhumane,” Durbin said.

Nourishing Hope says cuts like these increase the cost of food for their organization and they are already doing everything they can to meet the needs of the community.