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USDA Proposed Rule Will Reinforce Structural Racism
Extending SNAP time limits ignores root causes of unemployment
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The
federal proposal to limit SNAP/CalFresh
for unemployed and underemployed Americans will have an outsized negative impact on people of color, reinforcing the structural racism that drives disparities in access to food and economic opportunity. The
USDA's proposed rule
would remove much of the flexibility states have to waive time limits in certain areas with a lack of sufficient jobs. Instead, the proposal would require that the unemployment rate be the
sole
measure of an area's waiver eligibility. But what unemployment rates don't capture is America's history of systemic racism that today continues to hinder the wealth-building potential of Black Americans and other racial minorities.
In Spring 2018, California's overall unemployment rate sat at 4.2 percent. However, when
broken down by race
, we see the Black unemployment rate was more than twice that of White Californians and 1.6 times higher for Hispanics. These disparities are the result of America's long history of discriminatory practices, such as
redlining
and
racism in the criminal justice system
, which have consistently denied Black Americans and other racial minorities opportunities to realize the American dream.
No one should be punished for the persistence of societal barriers that make it harder to secure stable employment and a living wage. People who are income-eligible to receive SNAP/CalFresh but have their hours cut below 20 hrs/week don't need additional barriers to economic stability--they need racial equity and economic inclusion.
Act now to stop this harmful regulation!
Here's how you can help stop this proposal from becoming law:
- Submit a comment in opposition to the rule.
Download customizable template comments here.
Submit your comments
- Encourage 2 others to comment.
After adding your comment on the rule, encourage at least two people in your network to do the same. Every comment matters!
- Share this tweet
to get the word out!
Learn more and stay informed by signing up for CFPA's Federal Advocacy updates.
link
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New Analysis: Summer Hunger in CA
Confirms persistent gap in access to nutritious meals.
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When school is out, many families lose access to a critical source of nutritious, affordable meals for their children. The loss of school meals, especially for children living in poverty, can increase the risk of hunger and food insecurity. The federal summer meal programs exist to nourish children during breaks from school. This analysis examines how well those programs meet the needs of children across California.
Read more and access state and local data tables.
Factsheet
PDF
Data tables and methodology
PDF
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New Year, New Guarantee for Charter School Students
AB 1871 has become law!
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Starting in the 2019-20 school year, all low-income students in grades K-12 will finally have guaranteed access to free and reduced-price meals, no matter which public school they attend.
What can students, families, and schools expect with this new law?
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2019 CalFresh Forum Agenda Now Available
Join Us March 6 in Sacramento!
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View the event agenda. PDF
Space at the CalFresh Forum is limited, so register early.
Registration is open until Friday, March 1 at 6:00pm.
Who: CalFresh administrators, advocates, outreach partners, and stakeholders.
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Registration Open for ENACT Day 2019!
Join the Movement - April 30th in Sacramento
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ENACT Day is a FREE event that brings together Californians from across the state
to learn about health equity in California and develop policy advocacy skills.
- Learn about policy strategies to improve community health such as food and water access, immigration, housing and homelessness, and criminal justice.
- Understand the legislative process, how a bill becomes a law and how to conduct a legislative visit.
- Meet Californians from across the state.
- Speak directly with California legislators and staff.
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