Trenton Branch NAACP on SNAP benefits
Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the
protection of a fundamental human right of every person to be able to live with
dignity. – Nelson Mandela
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has become the latest weapon of choice in a world of politics. SNAP benefits provide income-eligible families with funding to purchase vegetables, fruits, bread, and food-producing seeds. Our communities’ most vulnerable populations, including children, women, and men, have found themselves seeking assistance from local soup kitchens, food pantries, and churches while placing a greater strain on an already weakened system. In the blink of an eye, families are now forced to make decisions between paying for housing or food. As the days continue to teeter with legislators deciding if or when to provide full SNAP benefits, community members remain left in the dark during the holidays.
In response to this unprecedented demand, the greater Trenton and Mercer County community, including, but not limited to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Trenton Branch, fraternities, sororities, and non-profits have answered the call by hosting and supporting a multitude of food drives, calling upon politicians to provide imperative funding and supporting self-sufficiency skills including gardening as a means of keeping food on the table.
The NAACP Trenton Branch Women in the NAACP (WIN) Committee has ensured that community members are educated and even provided with information on local food banks and pantries, as well as tips and tools to start home gardens and food production in the comfort of community members’ homes. The NAACP Trenton Branch is calling upon people over politics and remain steadfast in standing with our greater community during these uncertain times. The NAACP Trenton Branch stands ready to continue collaborating and partnering with historic organizations and non-profits rooted in the community to continue to uplift and support our community, while focusing on a solution-oriented result from the current SNAP cuts.
How do we get back to the kinds of self-determination and social progress that date back to the days when organizations like the NAACP, Urban League, UNIA-ACL, Divine 9, and many other organizations, including our churches, embraced community gardens, holistic education, and service within our community? We come from histories and legacies of giving. We did it before. We can do it again. Civil rights and social justice—pillars of the NAACP—are ours to demand. Access to voting rights, healthcare, quality education, and food are ours to expect.
This article is courtesy of the Trenton Branch NAACP.
