“Proposed federal budget cuts to food and health programs will deepen the already serious hunger crisis facing one in three Massachusetts families. The Sudbury Community Food Pantry urges the public and policymakers to understand what’s at stake for thousands of vulnerable residents who rely on safety-net programs to survive.
This month, the Greater Boston Food Bank and Mass General Brigham reported that more than one in three Massachusetts households — about 2 million adults — faced food insecurity over the previous 12 months. Very low food security, the most severe form, affected 24% of Massachusetts residents — roughly 1.7 million statewide.
This marks a continued rise from previous years, underscoring how surging food and housing costs, combined with rollbacks of pandemic-era Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, have deepened the crisis. SNAP provides basic food assistance to one of every five children in the U.S. and, notably, 59% of Massachusetts households who receive SNAP rely on food pantries to meet their monthly needs.
The Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” recently passed by the U.S. House and currently being debated in the U.S. Senate, would disqualify many low-income households, particularly single-parent families and older caregivers, from benefits and cut federal nutrition and health supports by nearly $300 billion through 2034 — including at least $92 billion from SNAP, the largest cut in its history, according to the Congressional Budget Office.”
Locally, the cuts could devastate people living on the edge — people like Carol (not her real name) a Sudbury Food Pantry client. Carol, 72, has had surgery on both knees and suffered a stroke, leaving her unable to drive. She lives in subsidized housing, where she is the primary caregiver for her adult son who is both physically and intellectually disabled. According to Carol, “Food stamps (SNAP) do not allow me to get groceries that last the whole month, so the Sudbury Pantry helps supplement the food that I buy.”
The effects of the proposed cuts extend beyond SNAP. Reduced enrollment would limit eligibility for school meals and could dismantle the Community Eligibility Provision, which currently allows 469 Massachusetts schools to provide free meals to more than 221,000 students. Without federal support, the state would need to backfill nearly $700 million annually to maintain those services.
Simultaneously, proposed reductions to USDA nutrition programs such as TEFAP and LAMP would further disrupt emergency food access. The USDA recently canceled more than $3 million worth of food for Massachusetts — nearly $2.3 million was scheduled to come to GBFB, close to 105,000 cases of protein, dairy and produce. Since USDA commodities comprise about 18% of GBFB’s supply, this represents a major loss.
These shortfalls trickle down to local pantries like the Sudbury Community Food Pantry, which relies on the Greater Boston Food Bank for 62% of the food we distribute. We also rely on USDA-supported partnerships with local farms. Cuts to USDA grants may force farms to pull out of food access programs or raise prices, limiting the Sudbury pantry’s ability to distribute fresh, healthy food.
“This is a perfect storm,” said Chris Goff, the Sudbury Community Food Pantry’s distribution manager. “As government benefits disappear, food banks are asked to do more with less. But we’re already strained by inflation and rising demand.”
The bill’s threats go beyond food. MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program, is jointly funded by the state and federal governments. Proposed Medicaid cuts would slash more than $1.75 billion in funding and jeopardize health care access for more than 250,000 residents. According to recent redetermination data, nearly 363,000 people — 16% of prior MassHealth enrollees — have already lost coverage. Analysts warn that enrollment could fall by up to 19% if federal match rates are reduced or capped. Without health coverage, many low-income residents may be forced to choose between medical care and groceries.
“Food insecurity doesn’t exist in isolation,” said Sudbury Director of Public Health Vivian Zeng. “When families are forced to choose between paying rent, buying groceries or filling a prescription, it creates toxic stress. That stress affects physical health, child development and long-term community well-being.”
Food pantries throughout Massachusetts are bracing for the cascading impact that will place increased strain on volunteers and diminished resources, especially among all-
volunteer organizations.
John Thomas is executive director of the Sudbury Community Food Pantry.
This article was published in the MetroWest Daily News