NEWARK, Del. – U.S. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester and Chris Coons, and U.S. Representative Sarah McBride (all D-Del.) today joined healthcare providers, food security advocates, environmental leaders, and working Delawareans at the Food Bank of Delaware to denounce the Republican budget bill signed into law by President Trump last week that will take food assistance away from as many as 37,000 Delawareans.
The Republican budget bill signed into law on July 4 contains severe cuts to crucial food and healthcare programs in order to rig the tax code even more in favor of the ultra-wealthy, including cutting $186 billion from food assistance programs for vulnerable Americans. Those seeking assistance will overwhelmingly turn to community-based organizations that could quickly be overwhelmed by the massive increase in need for their services.
In addition to cutting food assistance, the bill also cuts $1 trillion from Medicaid over the next 10 years and puts in place a number of obstacles to make it even harder for the 320,000 Delawareans who rely on Medicaid—not just low-income workers, but seniors in nursing homes, people with disabilities, and children—to continue receiving their benefits.
“Today, Senator Coons, Congresswoman McBride, and I joined local partners to lay out exactly what these devastating cuts mean for our state,” said Senator Blunt Rochester. “Tens of thousands of Delawareans are projected to lose their food assistance under the bill Republicans passed into law last week. These are not just numbers on a page—they are our loved ones, our neighbors, and fellow members of our community—and it comes at a time when one in eight people are already going hungry in Delaware. This federal delegation will use all the tools at our disposal to get our constituents the resources they need.”
“In the wealthiest nation on earth, hunger should not be a partisan issue, but the law passed in Washington last week makes it clear too many Republicans are willing to let vulnerable Americans starve,” said Senator Coons. “While we rightly focus on its massive cuts to Medicaid, we cannot lose sight of the law’s bone-deep cuts to food assistance that will leave tens of thousands of Delawareans hungry. This law is an assault on working families, children, seniors, and our environment, crafted for the wealthy at the expense of everyone else.”
“This budget is trickle-down cruelty—plain and simple,” said Congresswoman McBride. “It guts food assistance for tens of thousands of Delawareans, rips school meals away from kids, and buries families and schools in red tape. At a time when families are already stretched thin, this plan would force them to do more with less—all so billionaires can get a tax break. Delawareans deserve better, and I’ll keep fighting alongside Senators Coons and Blunt Rochester to protect the basic dignity of a full fridge and a fair shot.”
“Hunger isn’t a partisan issue; it doesn’t care about politics. Access to food is an issue of dignity. We care deeplyfor our neighbors who are already making impossible choices and now face even greater challenges,” said Food Bank of Delaware President and CEO Cathy Kanefsky. “SNAP has always been one of the most effective tools we have to fight hunger. And while we are not able to undo what’s already been done in Washington, we must still do the work—together—to meet the urgent needs of our community.”
“While we appreciate the efforts of policymakers to provide certainty through tax provisions, for some grocers serving low-income areas, these changes in SNAP may present steep challenges to overcome. Grocers run on tight margins, one to two percent, and for some, stable SNAP benefits are what make it possible to keep stores open in underserved communities,” said Julie Miro Wenger, Executive Director of the Delaware Food Industry Council. “SNAP isn’t just a vital safety net for families; it is also a powerful economic driver that supports jobs across the food industry. We are at the ready to support our neighbors and work alongside our federal and state partners.”
“We’re here today because when I was laid off in 2023, SNAP helped take some of the weight off my shoulders during the 11 months I was out of work,” said Elizabeth Morales, standing next to her daughter, Charlotte. “I had some savings—but I didn’t know how long I’d be out of work. SNAP gave me the breathing room to focus on being a mom—instead of stressing about choosing between groceries and gas money. SNAP was a lifeline. It gave me just enough breathing room to focus on getting back on my feet without falling into debt just to survive. That’s what SNAP really does.”
“When the Temporary Covid-19 SNAP Allotment ended in March 2023, St. Pat’s experienced a 30-percent increase in families seeking food the following month,” said Peter Slattery, Executive Director of St. Patrick’s Center. “We served twice as many families by the end of the year and have seen no decline in visits since.”
“To build a healthier America, we must invest in what matters most like affordable healthcare, access to nutritious food, and stable community services,” said Chris Fraser, President & CEO of Westside Family Healthcare. “When legislation limits health coverage or cuts SNAP benefits, it puts the most vulnerable at risk and drives up the long-term cost of care. At Westside, we believe food is medicine and ensuring families have access to both quality care and healthy meals is necessary to create stronger communities.”
“Our food pantry is one of many services that atTAcK addiction provides to our neighbors in need, including those impacted by substance use disorder (SUD) and those early in recovery,” said Don and Jeanne Keister, co-founders of the 12-year-old statewide nonprofit. “Along with treatment, housing, employment and transportation, food is critical to keeping people healthy and safe. Every day at our Resource Center in Peoples Plaza shopping center, we see on the faces of the people we serve how crucial this food is to them and their families.”
“Community Collaboration of Delaware works with individuals and families facing significant barriers to stability,” said John Dillon, Operations Director for Community Collaboration of Delaware. “We support our Congressional Delegation in calling for policies that protect access to food, housing, and healthcare. These are basic needs that every Delawarean, and every human, deserves.”
“Improving health outcomes starts with making sure our neighbors’ basic needs are met. On the frontlines of patient care, our hospitals know a healthy meal and a roof over someone’s head can make all the difference in the pursuit of health,” said Brian Frazee, President & CEO of the Delaware Healthcare Association. “These disastrous cuts to SNAP, in addition to the federal government’s cuts to basic healthcare through Medicaid, will have a direct, negative impact on the lives of Delaware residents but that doesn’t mean the work stops. We stand with our Congressional Delegation and nonprofit partners to advocate for solutions that support a healthy Delaware now and in the future.”
“At What Is Your Voice, we witness daily the impact of food insecurity on survivors of domestic violence and their families. Access to food is more than sustenance—it is a basic human right and a crucial step toward healing, safety, and rebuilding lives,” said Jacqueline Sterbach, President of What Is Your Voice, Inc. “The proposed cuts to food assistance programs will place an unbearable burden on our clients, many of whom are already navigating trauma, poverty, and housing instability. We stand in solidarity with Delaware’s delegation and all those who oppose these devastating reductions in SNAP and Medicaid benefits. No family should have to choose between safety and hunger. The opposite of oppression is through advocacy together for our vulnerable populations.”
“The Delaware Regional Dream Center has been dedicated to providing essential resources to our community, families, and children since March 2020,” said Matthew Morrison, Executive Director of the Delaware Regional Dream Center. “Our nonprofit Food Pantry and Addiction Counseling Center has become a source of hope for thousands of individuals working to recover mentally and financially. Currently, our Hunger Relief program serves Boxes of Hope to over 3,100 participants. Of these, ninety-four percent, or 815 families, are classified as low-income and receive assistance with annual gross incomes of $30,000 or less. Federal funding cuts have impacted our operations budget, and now, as we face additional families relying on us, we will be unable to sustain them.”
“Without safety nets available, we are failing our most vulnerable,” said Elaine Straughn, of Lake Forest Church Association in Harrington. “We must continue to fight for funding to keep our communities healthy and safe.”
The Republican budget bill, sometimes referred to as the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill,” was signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025. Senators Blunt Rochester and Coons and Congresswoman McBride all voted against it.
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Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester represents Delaware in the United States Senate where she serves on the Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.