All Floridians reap the benefits when people who experience nutritional disparities or are food insecure can access programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the School Breakfast Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and Summer BreakSpot. However, deeply-rooted racist eligibility laws and policies, such as work requirements, culturally inappropriate dietary restrictions, immigrant restrictions, and the lifetime eligibility ban on people convicted of drug trafficking, continue to act as barriers that prevent people of color from accessing these programs.
Still, despite the racist framework that continues to affect the ability of people of color to fully participate, Florida’s food assistance programs are important and effective in fighting food insecurity. For example, SNAP, which provides monthly grocery assistance so that households with low income can afford to put food on the table when times are tough, not only prevents hunger — it also keeps many families out of poverty, helps households afford a more nutritious diet, promotes both short- and long-term health, reduces health care costs, supports workers in low-paid jobs, and is a powerful stimulus for local economies, especially during recessions.
Until the state confronts the historical and systemic racism that has excluded many people of color and immigrants from the state’s food assistance programs for almost a century, people of color will continue to suffer from discrimination and experience food insecurity at disproportionate rates. It is past time for the Legislature to reject the racist underpinnings of Florida’s food assistance programs and deploy programs that are designed to meet the nutritional needs of all Floridians.