Contributor: Don’t forget seniors because SNAP benefits have been cut

Over the weekend, the federal government temporarily cut off funding for its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, leaving more than 42 million Americans unsure how to feed their families in the coming weeks. For many older Californians like me, this cutoff isn’t just an inconvenience. This is a thumb punch.

I am now 67 years old, a widow living in affordable housing in section 8 in the Hillcrest area of ​​San Diego. To qualify for my building, residents must be at least 62 years old and have an annual income of less than $58,000 – approximately 50% of the area median income. Yet my rent still takes about 30% of my income, the standard threshold for “affordable” housing. It’s a catch-22 most leaders know well: If we get too much revenue, we lose support. Earning very little and we cannot cover basic expenses.

I work part-time as a writer, which gives me purpose and helps me stay active. But even with that income and my monthly Social Security, it’s a struggle. For the past two years, my $194 monthly SNAP benefits have filled the gap. Without them, I’m not sure how I would have managed.

near Six million Californians are 65 or older According to the latest census – about 15% of the state’s population. Recent data shows that nearly 9% of older adults in California are food insecure, meaning more than half a million seniors across the state struggle to have reliable access to three nutritious meals a day. In San Diego County alone, more than 182,000 older adults experience food insecurity, and nearly 100,000 older adults receive SNAP or CalFresh benefits. These are not idle duties; The upper-middle-class family earns about $188 a month, but these modest funds often mean the difference between skipping dinner and buying a bag of groceries.

Most of my neighbors are in their 70s or 80s. Many are immigrants from Mexico, China, and Russia, each bringing rich histories and quiet resilience to our community. Drives a lot; They take the bus, use pedestrians or push metal carts to carry food. Every Thursday around noon, the LGBTQ center down the street offers a small selection of food, and once a month they distribute fresh vegetables. At the same center, Jewish Family Service offers a free weekday meal. It’s about a mile and a half each way, and I often see neighbors walking it up, carrying bags of oranges, apples, and onions back home. I appreciate their enthusiasm, but I also see how difficult it can be. There’s no way many of them could get to another food bank across town if those benefits were to disappear.

Food banks are doing heroic work, but they can’t fill the gap left by federal cuts. Seniors with diabetes or heart disease often need low-sodium, high-protein foods — items that are expensive and rarely available through mass food donations or food bank box programs.

And even when free produce is available, bringing it home can be an experience for someone in their late 70s with arthritis or limited mobility. The federal government’s decision to suspend SNAP is being defended as “fiscal discipline,” but there is no discipline in forcing vulnerable people to choose between rent, medicine and food. These programs are not charities; It is an investment in public health and human dignity.

Research from public health and nutrition experts – including the latest studies International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity and Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics – It has shown that older adults who maintain consistent nutrition have lower hospital readmission rates and fewer chronic disease complications, saving taxpayers money in the long run. Yet too often, public policy focuses on short-term budgets rather than long-term health.

I’ve heard people say, “Just get a job.” Most of us already have one. or two. But working into your late 60s or 70s doesn’t guarantee stability, especially when wages are low, rents are high and retirement savings are few. Not everyone has a nest egg. Life happens—illness, job loss, caregiving, divorce, unexpected medical bills, or in my case, the sudden loss of a spouse—and what once felt secure can disappear overnight.

Others may say, “Family should take care of their elders.” Some of us are lucky to have close family. Most of them are not. Loneliness is one of the most common ailments among older adults, and hunger only deepens it. What bothers me the most is that the leaders are hiding in this national conversation. Politicians talk about supporting families and especially children — both worthy causes — but rarely about the older Americans who raised those families, worked for decades, paid taxes and now live with far less dignity.

As benefits are cut this week, I urge federal policymakers not to forget us. For millions in California and the United States, we need to reorganize SNAP immediately and save it forever. More than that, remember the faces behind the statistics, the woman who balances bags of oranges with a walker, the widower who skips lunch to feed his dog, the part-time worker who decides between groceries and gas.

The elderly deserve to eat, live and age without fear of starvation. This is not a privilege; It is a promise this country once made to its people – a promise that must be kept.

Candace Reed is a journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune. “Thanks for firing me!” She is also a co-author.