Food banks across the country are bracing for a surge in demand this summer as childhood hunger, already a seasonal challenge, collides with new federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
This summer marks the first in which new SNAP provisions from the One Big Beautiful Bill are in effect. Participation in the program is down nearly 9% since the bill's signing last year, a drop that equals about 3.5 million people, according to one estimate from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
"You're going to see families that lose their benefits and they don't know how to feed their kids," said Julie Carneal, CEO of Open M Ministry in Akron, Ohio.
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The law cuts SNAP funding by 20% over the next 10 years. It also includes stricter work requirements to qualify for the food benefit and shifts more costs to states.
"This has been the most significant rollback in federal nutrition programs in the country's history," said Ron Meehan, the government relations manager for Feeding Colorado.
Jamie Bussel, a senior program officer with the philanthropic Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, said states are already feeling the pressure.
"Some states are reconsidering the work requirements. Other states are having to tap into reserve funding. That's funding that's not going to be able to be placed elsewhere," Bussel said. "There are just all of these ripple effects now with the cost essentially being pushed over to the states in ways that we've never seen."
Summer spike in childhood hunger
The summer months typically intensify the problem. When school is out, millions of children lose access to free and reduced-price meals they rely on during the school year. Families often turn to SNAP to fill that gap — but for many, that option is now gone.
"They typically fill that with SNAP...SNAP goes away. And then all of a sudden they're turning to food banks," said Chonnie Richey, a food insecurity expert and founder of the nonprofit Independence Gardens.
But food banks themselves are also under strain. Monica Buhlig, chief impact officer at the Food Bank of the Rockies, said her organization has already absorbed significant losses.
This past fall, she said the organization lost roughly 14,000 meals per day due to changes and the availability of federal programs.
"We are seeing the greatest need, and we’re seeing need increase and supply stay the same at best," Buhlig said.
How to give and find help
Richey urges community members to take direct action.
"You have extras, go ahead and put them in a bag and drop them off at your food bank because that is literally what they need," Richey said.
One avenue for support: now through the end of summer, Instacart users can donate to one of its hundreds of food bank partners by purchasing goods right in the app.
"You can shop directly from a curated list of items that the food bank has specifically identified are urgent needs at that moment. And then an Instacart shopper will deliver those items directly to the food bank," said Casey Aden-Wansbury, vice president and head of global public policy at Instacart.
Volunteers on the front lines say they remain committed despite the challenges.
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"We are seeing a widening gap, and it takes all of us coming together to address that gap," Buhlig said.
About 42 million Americans benefit from the SNAP program. Four out of 10 of those participants are children.
Families looking for summer meal help can use the USDA's Summer Meals Site Finder, which lists locations in 37 states where kids can eat for free on site or pick up meals to go.
