Take Action to Protect Families: Sign This Petition to Protect Food Stamps

Safe & Sound CEO Katie Albright is a member of The Greater Bay Area Child Abuse Prevention Council Coalition, whose mission is to provide leadership and support collaboration in the child abuse prevention community and promote culturally responsive, fair, respectful, and effective services to end child abuse and neglect.

This 11-member coalition is working diligently to dissuade the federal administration from weakening our country’s most important and effective anti-hunger program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly food stamps; now called CalFresh in California). SNAP provides food assistance to thousands of low-income people, primarily families with children, and seniors and individuals with disabilities — many of whom are already burdened with high housing costs and other expenses such as childcare.

The proposed change would limit eligibility and the way that states determine who qualifies for food benefits. Millions of people will be negatively impacted – including tens of thousands in the Greater Bay Area – effectively they’ll have to look elsewhere for vital nutrition every month.

Those who work directly with families know that this policy change will have serious, real-world consequences for many children. In the words of representatives from the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, “It’s shortsighted, cruel and needs to end now.”

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP:

• JOIN THE GREATER BAY AREA CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION COUNCIL COALITION and add your comments by September 23 to this petition from the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) to urge the federal government to stop hurting families: http://bit.ly/ProtectFoodStamps
• LEARN MORE about the issue and read a statement from state and national advocates for children and families from the Western Center on Law and Policy: https://wclp.org/statement-on-trump-administrations-proposed-rule-to-cut-snap-food-benefits/
• SPREAD THE WORD to your networks and encourage your friends, family, and colleagues to get involved. Our voices are stronger together!
  
  Sample Post: Don’t let the Federal Government cut #foodstamps for vulnerable community members! It’s shortsighted, cruel and needs to end now! Sign the petition by Sep 23 at http://bit.ly/ProtectFoodStamps

When our public policy does not keep pace with the needs of our communities, we perpetuate hardship on our families. We should instead be strengthening them, supporting them, and helping them raise children that are safe and healthy.

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The Greater Bay Area Child Abuse Prevention Council Members:
Colette Katuala (Alameda) • Carol Carrillo (Contra Costa) • David Maradei (Monterey) • Michele Grupe (Napa) • Katie Albright (San Francisco) • Jane Smithson (San Mateo) • Steve Baron (Santa Clara) • Susan Ferdinandi (Solano) • Robin Bowen (Sonoma) • Michele Grupe (President) • Kris Murphey (Coordinator)