Eve is here. Although this article debunks the food stamp program’s means-testing through its even more stringent work requirements, the framework has the effect of treating its purpose as legitimate, even if it is misguided in its implementation. In my opinion, this is another manifestation of the concept of deserved and undeserved poverty. This means you are not eligible for help unless you have a clear reason for poverty, such as being too old or lame to work. Another is that rigorous testing measures reduce program spending. God forbid America does something farsighted to make sure our kids have enough to eat so their brains can develop properly and concentrate in school.
By the time the line for House of Hope’s mobile food pantry started moving, six cars had been in line for nearly four hours. By 11:30 a.m., when food distribution began, another 70 or so people were idle behind them.
The plan was to begin distributing boxes of food at 11 a.m., but the Facing Hunger Food Bank truck that was delivering the food suffered a flat tire on the way. No one complained.
Perry Hall was among those waiting. His wife, Lily Hall, works as a volunteer on the distribution team. Perry has been treated for a type of cancer called multiple myeloma. The Halls survive on about $1,500 a month on Social Security benefits and assistance from the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). But because of her age, Lilly, 59, recently became subject to new SNAP work requirements and is at risk of losing benefits.
As part of the federal government’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, all able-bodied adults under the age of 64 who have no dependents and do not work, volunteer, or participate in job training for at least 80 hours per month are now limited to receiving benefits from SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) to three months every three years. Previously, the federal requirement applied to people age 54 and under. The new rules, which came into effect in November, also apply to parents with children aged 14 and older. Also removed were exemptions for veterans, people experiencing homelessness and youth who have aged out of foster care.
Supporters of work requirements argue that they encourage people who are “ready to work” to find and keep jobs, reduce dependence on government aid, and protect the “dignity of work.”
Rhonda Rogombe is a health and safety net policy analyst at the West Virginia Budget and Policy Center. She and her colleagues studied the effects of SNAP work rules and found that requiring recipients to work does not reduce local unemployment rates.
Previous work requirements were suspended nationwide during the coronavirus pandemic and reinstated in fall 2023. Researchers found that the average number of people employed each month in Mingo County actually decreased after the requirements were reimposed.
A 2018 federal research project that examined several data sources, including SNAP data from nine states, found that work requirements had “no effect on labor force participation and the number of hours worked.”
“There are many possible explanations, but when people are hungry they are less able to support themselves. When they are hungry, it is harder to concentrate on work. It is harder to participate in work activities and we think that is part of the reason,” Rogombe said.
Jobs are scarce in this southern West Virginia county. Lily Hall finds work at a restaurant in Delbarton. However, until a waitress position becomes available, she will not be paid. That’s enough to keep her on benefits, but far from ideal.
On a mild Wednesday in late March, House of Hope served chicken, eggs, bread, potatoes, fresh fruits and vegetables, and milk.
Some of those in line are elderly residents and “some young people who are lost and out of work and just need help,” said Timothy Treben, who runs the pantry with his wife, Christine, and Gail Rendearo.
Timothy Treben helps run the House of Hope food pantry in Delbarton, West Virginia. The pantry’s customers include older residents, as well as “young people who are lost, out of work, and just need help.” (Taylor Sisk, KFF Health News)
House of Hope’s distribution date is the last Saturday of each month, and as the money from the monthly check begins to run dry and the cupboards become empty, it is supplemented with occasional weekday hunger visits.
On a typical Saturday, pantry staff and volunteers hand out 400 boxes of food.
“It’s an honor to do this,” Rendearo said. “It’s a blessing.”
Perry Hall’s cancer is now in remission, but for some time his treatment required him and Lily to commute 4 1/2 hours each way to Morgantown. Since the couple’s van was not enough to transport them, they paid a friend to give them a ride.
Mingo’s population is just under 22,000, down from about 27,000 in 2010. In the past, it flourished using coal as fuel. The county seat of Williamson was home to an opera house and businesses run by immigrants from Italy, Russia, and Syria. The area is still called the “coalfield”, but very little is mined here these days. A quarter of the population lives in poverty.
Rogombe and his colleagues found that Mingo County residents face significant barriers to securing the few jobs available. These include unreported physical and mental disabilities, housing insecurity, and lack of a high school diploma or identification card.
Submitting documentation to receive benefits or verify compliance is difficult for many residents. A study by the West Virginia Budget and Policy Center found that about 1 in 4 people do not have reliable internet access.
More changes are in store for the SNAP program. Currently, the federal government and the states split administrative costs 50-50, but in October the states will shoulder 75% of the cost. And from October 2027, you will have to pay an additional cost based on your error rate.
Kentucky, along with West Virginia, is among the poorer states that will be most affected by the new requirements and costs. The Kentucky Economic Policy Center estimates that up to 114,000 residents are at risk of losing their SNAP benefits due to expanded work requirements.
Jessica Klein, a researcher at the center, is concerned about the results. “We know that SNAP not only reduces food insecurity, but also impacts health,” she said. It worsens blood pressure, obesity, and medication compliance.
With the additional financial burden on states, “I think some states will change the rules that affect participation to allow for smaller, more affordable programs,” Klein said. “My concern is that some states will choose not to operate SNAP at all.”
People are stepping up efforts in Mingo County. At least eight food pantries provide groceries to those in need.
Janet Gibson runs the Blessing Barn Pantry in the Ben Creek community. “I can go from one end of the creek to the other and tell everyone’s name and little things about them,” she said. She takes pride in feeding people.
Gibson said it can be difficult to even find volunteer opportunities within the county, primarily due to transportation issues. Looking at local maps can be misleading. Dozens of miles into the loudest places and ridges can take an hour or more.
“Whether you’re working full time or not, you’re using up gas to get to work, and gas isn’t cheap right now,” Gibson said.
Trista Shankle, a single mother of three in Paducah, Kentucky, is not subject to the new SNAP requirements, but she is concerned about the weakness of her social safety net. She overcame challenges, earned a master’s degree in social work, and works for an organization that connects community college students with Temporary Assistance benefits for families in need. Her family receives assistance from SNAP, Medicaid, housing assistance, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. If any of them are cut, she said, she may have to drop out of school.
Shankle believes he would not be where he is today without the blessings he and his family have received. “Blessings bring calm and peace. We know that our children will not go hungry.”
During the first week of April, Lily Hall went to work at Black Bear Trails Restaurant. She is grateful for the opportunity. And when a waitress spot becomes available, “I’ll grab that position as quickly as my head will turn.”
