Statement from United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) calling on Governor Newsom and local leaders to take immediate action to protect CA families ahead of SNAP cuts: 

Every day, educators see the impact of poverty and hunger in our classrooms. For many LAUSD families experiencing housing insecurity or living paycheck to paycheck, SNAP benefits have been a lifeline. Ending this program amid a government shutdown that has already taken paychecks from federal workers is not just cruel, it is a deliberate policy choice to widen the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

There is no shortage of food or money in this country. The US has more than enough resources to feed every single person. But the greed that defines this administration has turned access to food, a basic human need, into a luxury. Instead of ensuring that every child is fed, the federal government continues to punish working-class and low-income families for the failures of Trump-era policies that put corporations and the wealthy first.

One in eight Americans rely on SNAP to afford their groceries. Millions of students, families, seniors, disabled people, and community members across the country will be hurt by the end of critical SNAP food benefits come November — 1.5 million in LA County alone. While local food banks, school cafeterias, and mutual aid efforts will once again step up to do what our government refuses to do, we know it will not be enough.

UTLA calls on: 

1. Governor Gavin Newsom to call a state of emergency and authorize the use of state funds to cover SNAP benefits. 
2. Mayor Karen Bass, LAUSD Superintendent Carvalho, and the LA County Board of Supervisors to stand with educators in demanding the Governor take action.
3. Every elected leader in California to stand up against this administration for their inhumane policies that continue to wreak havoc in the lives of our most marginalized communities.