JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 As of February 1, millions of families nationwide are facing stricter rules for SNAP benefits.<\/p>\n
Under the new guidelines, able-bodied adults without dependents, ages 18 to 64, must work or volunteer 80 hours a month to keep their benefits. Previously, the age range was 18 to 54, and exemptions for parents applied to those with children living with them under 18. Now, the exemption only applies to adults with children living with them under 14.<\/p>\n
Veterans, homeless individuals, and young adults under 24 who were formerly in foster care are also now required to meet the work requirement. Failure to comply means recipients will receive only three months of benefits in a three-year period, after which benefits are cut entirely.<\/p>\n
The federal government estimates these changes could remove more than 3 million people from SNAP and save $92 billion through 2034. But local advocates say these numbers don\u2019t reflect the real human impact.<\/p>\n
At Lutheran Social Services in Jacksonville, the food pantry is already feeling the pressure. Manager Ronnie Wilson says the pantry has seen a dramatic rise in demand over the years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I started here, we were serving 400 families a month. Now, we\u2019re serving over 1,800 families a month, almost 6,000 individuals,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cWe expect that number to continue increasing with these changes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wilson notes that federal cuts have also reduced the amount of food the pantry receives from the USDA. \u201cWe went from getting over 7,000 pounds of food a week to just 2,000, and now we\u2019re back up to 4,000. Each year, we lose a little more funding. Our grant this year is down to $22,000 from $30,000 when I started managing the pantry.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pantry relies heavily on donors to fill the gaps.<\/p>\n
The new SNAP requirements come on top of past spikes in need, such as during government shutdowns, which saw increases of nearly 400 families in one month. With an income limit of $47,000 for a single person to qualify, the pantry serves families from a wide range of economic backgrounds.<\/p>\n
Wilson urges policymakers to consider the real impact on people. \u201cThey\u2019re looking at things from an office. We are here working with the people every day to see how it\u2019s affecting them.\u201d<\/p>\n
For those who want to help, Lutheran Social Services accepts monetary donations online at https:\/\/www.lssjax.org\/donate<\/a> and food donations in person at 4615 Philips Highway, Jacksonville, FL 32207. Every contribution helps the pantry continue serving thousands of families who rely on its support.<\/p>\n >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<<\/a><\/p>\n [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks<\/a>]<\/p>\n