Thursday, May 12 2011 3:53PM
Affordable access to nutritious food could be limited in Arizona if new legislation is passed, reports say.
Legislation in the House of Representatives could cut funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in Arizona, leaving a number of state residents living in rural communities without affordable access to food.
According to Public News Service, lawmakers plan to cut funding for SNAP by 20 percent, which some state activists say could be detrimental to thousands of poor families.
"Families who are struggling and working to become successful participating members of the community should still be able to eat, and should still be able to feed their families," said Arizona Community Action Association director Cynthia Zwick. "The cut to this program will ensure that many families are not able to do that."
She added that if residents are forced to spend more on groceries, many may not be able to afford other expenses, including rent and utilities.
Rural community grants such as SNAP are considered vital to helping disadvantaged residents, particularly in Arizona, which the Arizona Department of Economic Security reports has the second-highest poverty rate in the U.S.