Local hunger-relief organizations are expressing concern over the Trump administration budget bill's proposed cuts to medicaid and the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) that would affect more than one in 10 people in the state.
Dubbed the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill”, the Republican budget reconciliation package — which the House narrowly passed last month — includes an extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as well as $300 billion in SNAP cuts through 2034, making it the largest cut to the program in history.
Critics say the changes will push more families into poverty.
Florida has roughly 2.9 million SNAP recipients, making up 13% of the state's population. They received $6.4 billion from the federally funded program in 2023, making it an average of $184 per SNAP user per month. If signed into law, Florida would be responsible for nearly $1.6 billion in costs to maintain current SNAP benefits.
“I think that if they lose those benefits, I'm not sure that the state of Florida, without major tax increases or cuts to other important kinds of services, can cover something like that," said Ellen Bowen, site director of Food Rescue South Florida. “Which means that there's a lot of people that will go even hungrier than they are already.”
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The House bill also proposes stricter work requirements. While current guidelines exempt adults over 54 and parents with children under 18 from the 80-hour monthly work rule, the new proposal would require all able-bodied adults between 18 and 64 to meet the threshold — excluding only-parents of children under seven.
Bowen says the proposed cuts could deepen the food insecurity already surging since the pandemic in neighborhoods the organization serves like Liberty City, Overtown and parts of Coconut Grove.
“We are seeing an incredible need, and, of course, the anxiety now that's surrounding the cuts to SNAP benefits is also adding to this sense of fear and frustration among many of the food banks and pantries that we work with,” Bowen told WLRN.
“What people don't seem to realize is that even within our metropolitan areas, there are these pockets of food insecurity," Bowen added. "I sort of call it the juxtaposition between wealth and poverty."
While the originally proposed cuts to SNAP sought to exclude anyone who isn’t a U.S. citizen or green-card holder, South Florida representatives succeeded in getting a carve-out for the many Cuban immigrants who lack permanent legal status.
Feeding South Florida, the region’s largest food bank, says food insecurity in the area has risen 50% since 2019. The organization estimates that nearly 15% of Miami-Dade county’s population lacks consistent access to nutritious food.
CEO Francisco 'Paco' Vélez says the nonprofit, which partners with 200 agencies across Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties, is actively preparing for an increase in demand.
“We as an organization have a responsibility to ensure that no family goes without food, no child goes without food, and no senior citizen on a fixed income goes without food,” Velez said.
“I'm not sure that the state of Florida ... can cover something like that. Which means that there's a lot of people that will go even hungrier than they are already.”Ellen Bowen, site director of Food Rescue South Florida.
Another element of the proposed bill is revoking a major update to the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP), the formula used to calculate SNAP benefit amounts. The formula was updated in 2021 for the first time since 2006 to start reflecting modern dietary guidelines and food costs.
Critics say the proposal could effectively roll back increases. An analysis by the Urban Institute, released in 2023, found that the changes would mean that SNAP benefits in South Florida would only cover around half the cost of a 'modestly priced meal' — a shortfall they estimate would add up to about $160 a month per recipient.
The Urban Institute also warns that rolling back the TFP and imposing stricter eligibility rules will disproportionately hurt low-income families and communities of color.
While supporters of the bill cite improper payments — estimated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture at $10.5 billion in 2023 — as justification for tightening the restrictions and reduced benefits, critics argue the effects on vulnerable communities are too drastic.
Bridging the gap
Feeding South Florida recently launched a “Bridge the Gap” campaign to raise additional funds and offset what it expects to lose due to reduced federal support.
“We’re fortunate to have a diverse network of community members, donors, volunteers and farmers who help support our mission,” Vélez said. “But we’re also trying to create more self-sustaining revenue streams.”
One of those efforts includes turning the organization’s community kitchen into a workforce training and catering facility — helping participants gain skills while simultaneously generating income to support internal operations.
“We use our kitchen not only to serve meals, but to train individuals in the food service industry,” Vélez said. “The goal is to be just a little more self-reliant.”
During the 2008 recession, Florida was struck hard by the trickling effects on the housing market, household income and a spike in poverty. Vélez shared that when he arrived in South Florida in 2012 during the tail end of that period, he saw the need and ripple-effects firsthand within the community.
“Two or three of our big box trucks were stolen from Feeding South Florida specifically so folks could get money so they could keep a roof over their heads and keep food on the table,” Vélez said. “And as the recession faded, we had no more trucks stolen.”
He worries about the possibility of a similar desperation returning if massive cuts to SNAP are enacted, and about how food insecurity affects people who are often responsible for feeding others.
“And ironically, folks who help put food on other people’s tables are the ones who struggle with putting food on their own table. And I’m talking about farmworkers. I’m talking about servers at restaurants or even cooks at restaurants. They’re the ones who are going to be struggling the most, and the irony is not lost on me,” Velez said.
The Senate is taking up the bill this week, where the package, which is facing opposition from a handful of GOP senators, is likely to be revised.
