OP-ED: Doubling SNAP Resources with Good Food For All
SNAP is a key pillar of support for families across our community. Families need it now more than ever.
As an anti-poverty agency, the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) understands the value of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, more commonly known as SNAP. Most of our clients, which includes low-income families across Somerville and Cambridge, come to us already enrolled in the program. If they’re not, we help them to enroll. And it’s for good reason – food security is a key determinant of health, and taking the financial burden off families' shoulders frees up their ability to buy other necessities. But for many members of our community, we need SNAP to do even more. Even with benefits assistance, there are still gaps that cause families’ needs to go unmet. Luckily, Good Food For All is helping to fill those gaps.
2024 marks the seventh year of Union Square Main Streets’ Good Food for All program, taking place from June 22nd to June 29th. The program invites local businesses and residents to donate to a fund that allows families to double their buying power with SNAP at Somerville Farmers Markets, receiving a 1:1 match on every SNAP dollar they spend up to $15 a week. It’s a critical way to help families access fresh, healthy, and affordable food, and we’re increasingly seeing the need for it in our community.
Somerville is facing a cost of living crisis. Between inflation, rising housing prices, and stagnant wages that aren’t keeping up with increasing expenses, it’s getting harder for families to make ends meet. In the last five years, housing costs in Somerville have increased an average of 36% to 53%, depending on home size. Two thirds of the city’s residents are renters, and over 40% of those residents are rent-burdened, meaning they pay over a third of their monthly income on rent. Families are forced to choose between essentials, like rent, utilities, food, and school supplies. The MIT Living Wage Calculator estimates that a family of two working parents and two children needs to earn $159,868.80 to meet their basic needs in the Greater Boston Area, an income that is out of reach for many.
This has made SNAP an increasingly important part of food security for our community members. Michael Cambron, Benefits Specialist Case Manager at CAAS, helps families enroll in SNAP and other assistance programs. He finds that SNAP is a key pillar for many of the households he assists. “I've worked with a lot of clients who have SNAP as an essential part of their budget,” shared Cambron. “Without SNAP, they almost literally wouldn't have anything left over for food costs.”
But inflation and rising food prices are pushing the limits of what SNAP benefits can provide. In April of this year, ConsumerReports found that Massachusetts grocery store prices have increased by 6.6% over the past year, putting the statewide increase 5% higher than the national average. The MIT Living Wage Calculator estimates that a family of four needs to spend $1,212 per month to cover food costs, while the maximum monthly SNAP benefit is $973 for a four-person household. As a result, many households on SNAP forgo healthier food options to stay within their budget. Cambron sees the impact in his work with families, especially in households with children. “The dollars are stretched so thin with your SNAP money, you prioritize cheaper, non-perishable foods, because that's what makes the most sense to buy on such a limited income. A lot of times, fresh produce, vegetables, and fruits are the first things to go in favor of pre-packaged foods.”
Good Food For All is a valuable tool for our community to combat the current shortcomings that exist in our food security infrastructure, and we need it now more than ever. The economic empowerment non-profit Union Square Main Streets, which runs the Good Food for All program and the Union Square Farmers Market, has stepped up for seven years to meet the needs of our community members. Now it’s on all of us as neighbors to join them in their efforts and ensure that everyone in our city has access to fresh, healthy foods.
Make a donation to Good Food For All now at the Union Square Farmers Market on Saturday mornings or at unionsquaremain.org!
About the Community Action Agency of Somerville
The Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) has been the City of Somerville’s federally designated anti-poverty agency since 1981. Its mission is to help local families and individuals achieve financial security while working to eliminate the root causes of economic injustice. To learn more, visit: caasomerville.org
About Union Square Main Streets
Union Square Main Streets (USMS) is a non profit organization that works to strengthen the dynamic neighborhood of businesses and people in Union Square. USMS achieves this mission by promoting and celebrating the unique and spirited character of Union Square, advocating for and assisting local businesses, working to create welcoming public spaces, and fostering connection and collaboration among diverse stakeholders and partners. For more information, visit unionsquaremain.org.