For Anny and her family, SNAP isn’t just assistance; it’s survival. Anny works in a school cafeteria and her husband is a line cook. Every day, they serve food to others for a living, yet at home, making sure their own family has enough to eat can be a challenge. With three kids – ages 4, 6, and 17 – they must stretch every paycheck to cover rent, food, and other bills.
Recently, Anny’s family’s SNAP benefits were reduced from $350 to $275 per month because she and her husband had each been working a few extra hours.
“They think that because we’re working more hours, we’re getting more money,” Anny said. “But our rent just went up, too.”
Sometimes, money runs out before the end of the month, and she and her husband are forced to make tough choices. That may mean paying a utility bill late to afford other necessities. For Anny, the thought of having their benefits cut further or losing SNAP completely is overwhelming.
“I don’t even want to think about it,” she said. “I can’t imagine what would happen if we didn’t have SNAP.”
With prices on the rise, Anny also visits CFBNJ’s Community Assistance Pantry to pick up healthy staples, like fruits and vegetables. She likes to get creative in the kitchen, inventing nutritious meals and snacks that her kids will enjoy. She cuts up bananas and freezes them with yogurt and even makes her own almond milk, since she’s lactose intolerant.
“When you don’t have the money, you have to stretch and really think about what will make the kids happy to eat,” Anny said.
“We really need the benefits,” she added. “They help so much.” SNAP helps her to provide for her family, ensuring that her kids have the nutritious food they need to grow and thrive.