New Hampshire Democrats Fight for Increased Support for New Hampshire Families
Contact Name: Marina Altschiller
Phone: (603) 271-3266
CONCORD - Today, in a party line vote, Republican members of the Governor’s Office for Economic Relief and Recovery (GOFERR) Legislative Advisory Board rejected a motion to recommend the unspent CARES Act funds be allocated to New Hampshire’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The recommendation was brought to GOFERR by NH Hunger Solutions and would have helped address growing food insecurity Granite Staters face during the coronavirus pandemic and economic downturn.
Following the vote, Senate President Donna Soucy (D-Manchester), who also serves on the Governor’s Office for Economic Relief and Recovery (GOFERR) Legislative Advisory Board, released this statement:
“From the first day of this pandemic, we have understood that the onset of winter would bring unprecedented challenges to our most vulnerable populations. According to the NH Food Bank, we have seen a 57% increase in food insecurity, including 21-23% of our children, due to COVID-19.
With $50 million already allocated to the unemployment trust fund earlier this year, we were hopeful that another immediate need of New Hampshire families could be addressed in allocating the unspent CAREs Act funds to SNAP, thereby giving additional assistance to the more than 70,000 Granite Staters enrolled in the program during the winter months.
House and Senate Democrats will continue to fight for the citizens of this state - whether it’s regarding how to spend federal relief funds or crafting the next two year budget - because we know the people of this state are the true New Hampshire advantage.”
###