Potential Trump cuts to food stamps may impact major Tampa food bank

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Trump’s “big beautiful” tax bill passed the House last week. 

It would implement serious cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which provides food assistance to millions around the country. 

Here in Tampa Bay, local food group Feeding Tampa Bay says the cuts may result in an increased need. 

The organization serves 1 million people in West Central Florida.

Lorena Hardwick is the chief external affairs officer for Feeding Tampa Bay. 

“What I think what that means not just for feeding Tampa Bay, but for all of us in our community, other nonprofits and organizations, is that we are going to see an increase in need,” Hardwick told WMNF.

She says most of the families they serve are ALICE – Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. 

That’s employed families that may not qualify for safety net programs, but still aren’t making enough to make ends meet. 

But many of the families they serve are on government assistance, and that will lead to an increase in need. 

“A lot of people sometimes feel like charity is not for them, that they can do it, that they can make it on their own. But if we start seeing cuts to these programs that create these bridges for those families, we are going to see more individuals reaching out and asking for assistance that maybe have not asked for assistance in the past,” Hardwick said.

She says it will take careful budgeting and managing food output if the bill becomes law. 

The organization recently celebrated the first anniversary of a move into a new, multi-million-dollar warehouse.