Local advocacy groups speak out against Medicaid and SNAP cuts

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — On Sept. 30, Nebraska For Us, a nonprofit organization, hosted a panel of people to focus on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid cuts.

According to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, SNAP enrollment has fallen by 26% in the past year. Medicaid enrollment dropped by around 2,300 people in August.

“My reaction is shock and horror at these numbers,” Eric Savaiano, Food and Nutrition Access Program Manager at Nebraska Appleseed, said. “It equates to 40,000 people in Nebraska, alone, who have lost SNAP. That’s a little more than the entire city of Kearney. We see the slope going down with no end in sight. There are many new faces at food distribution sites as support is taken away.”