Arkansas food relief groups brace for impact after SNAP cuts in ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — With Arkansas already leading the nation in food insecurity, local hunger relief organizations are warning of severe fallout after the passage of a sweeping federal budget bill that cuts billions from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The bill—nicknamed the “Big Beautiful Bill” by its supporters—passed both chambers of Congress this week and is now headed to President Donald Trump’s desk.

While the legislation includes tax breaks and energy boosts, it also outlines nearly $200 billion in SNAP cuts, through increased state costs, stricter work requirements, and limited benefit updates. According to the Arkansas Foodbank, these changes could mean fewer meals for hundreds of thousands of Arkansans.

“These changes threaten access to food for families who are already struggling,” said Arkansas Foodbank CEO Brian Burton. “We call on our community to give, volunteer, and advocate—because no Arkansan should have to wonder where their next meal will come from.”

According to the Arkansas Food Bank, one in five Arkansans faces food insecurity. Last year alone, more than 240,000 Arkansans—about one in 13 residents—relied on SNAP, and 64% of those recipients are families with children.

At Potluck Food Rescue in Little Rock, Executive Director Chris Wyman says nonprofits like his are already seeing rising demand—and this bill will only add to the strain.

“We’re looking at folks who work two jobs and still can’t afford groceries,” Wyman said. “When you’re working that hard, the last thing your family should have to worry about is where their next meal is coming from.”

Potluck acts as a redistribution hub for surplus food, working with the Arkansas Foodbank and local donors to get meals into schools, libraries, shelters, and rural communities. Wyman says if SNAP is scaled back, more people will turn to places like his—and they may not have the resources to keep up.

“If you don’t think it’s going to affect you, it just hasn’t yet,” he added.

Julie, a retired cake decorator from Pulaski County, says she receives just $60 a month in SNAP benefits. It isn’t much, but it’s essential.

“It fills the gap,” she said. “Cutting those benefits means a lot of elderly people and children will be left out. For some of us, it’s the only way we can eat.”