Jade Johnson, a 25-year-old mother from Maryland, knows the reality of food insecurity in one of the world’s richest countries. She describes it as 'humbling'. Two years ago, she was working two jobs but still couldn't afford enough food for herself and her six-year-old daughter Janai, often skipping meals and drinking water to dull the hunger.
Johnson’s situation improved after being accepted onto the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme (Snap), receiving $520 a month for groceries. But now she faces losing that support under Donald Trump’s proposed legislation, which would slash up to $300bn from Snap to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest. The House version of the bill imposes work requirements on parents of children aged seven and above, down from 18. Johnson’s daughter turns seven in November, meaning she would need to work at least 20 hours a week or lose benefits.
Anti-hunger advocates warn the cuts would be devastating. Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba, executive director of Children’s HealthWatch, described the proposal as a 'catastrophic attack' that would damage children’s health and local economies. The Senate is considering a higher age threshold of 14, but the final bill remains uncertain as Republicans push for a 4 July signing.
Johnson is preparing for the worst, saying that losing Snap would mean a return to 'grind mode'. She is studying part-time to become a dialysis technician, which limits her ability to increase work hours. The cuts come as food insecurity is already rising across all 50 states.
