Food Stamp Families Now Seeing Less to Eat in PA

Families using food stamps are going to start seeing less food on their tables soon, thanks to the expiration of a 2009 stimulus providing funding for the program at the state level. Pennsylvania will be hit hard: We’re slated to lose nearly $200 million for our food stamp benefits. That’ll effect  about 1.8 million Pennsylvanians, with a family of four losing about $36 a month. Nationwide, 43 million Americans will be affected.

Sharon Ward, director of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, is concerned with the cuts, saying that our food stamp benefit system “is already inadequate” and that “this cut is only the beginning.” The cut will mean approximately 21 fewer meals per month for a long-strapped program. [CBS]