NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the newly-minted United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, said he wants to change the items eligible to buy with food stamps.
Kennedy has called for the government to stop allowing the nearly $113 billion program that serves about 42 million Americans to use benefits to pay for “ soda or processed foods.”
However, in places classified as food deserts, an urban area in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food, like much of North Charleston, simply purchasing fresh produce isn’t as easy as walking into a grocery store.
READ MORE | “Sen. Graham open to collaboration with RFK Jr. following successful confirmation vote.”
“These fresh produce stuff, they cost more money,” said Elvin Speights, a community activist. “So, if I’m only getting a hundred, $200 on food stamps a carton of eggs is $10, I could spend $20 on a loaf of bread, a carton of eggs, and a loaf of bread, and a gallon of milk.”
And with prices climbing, people are turning to cheaper alternatives, but for those who live in so-called food deserts, fresh food is difficult to come by. Louis Smith the community resource center director said there are a lot of food deserts in America, but especially in the Lowcountry.
“In these lower-end neighborhoods, especially in, in the lower Black communities, that’s all we have is the fast foods and stuff,” Speights said. “We don’t have, a lot of fresh produce stores out here.”
And there is still confusion about what exactly the new rules of SNAP benefits could be.
“Gatorade has sugar in it – right?” Speights said. “So what are we talking about when you say you want to get rid of sugary drinks? Soda. Okay, so now are we talking just zero sodas and sugar-free drinks?”
For people who want to learn how to use their SNAP benefits to get healthier food – education is available through the Snap Ed website.
READ MORE | “Sen. Lindsey Graham backs RFK Jr. for HHS, citing shift to pro-life stance.”
发表回复