CHANGES ARE COMING TO THE FOOD
STAMPS PROGRAM. THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION IS CHANGING
SOME ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS... A MOVE THAT
COULD AFFECT*THOUSANDS HERE
IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA. NEWS FOUR
TUCSON'S ERIC FINK HAS OUR
STORY. 0 - 19 19 -42 43 - 53
54 - 2:01 2:02 - 2:16
ERIC LL ------------ THE
ADMINISTRATION SAYS THIS MOVE
WILL ENCOURAGE SOME PEOPLE TO
BECOME MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT.
BUT THESE CHANGES COULD TAKE
UPWARDS OF 7-HUNDRED THOUSAND
AMERICANS OFF OF FOOD
STAMPS... THE HEAD OF THE
SOUTHERN ARIZONA COMMUNITY
FOOD BANK SAYS THIS SENDS A
CHILLING MESSAGE OF DESPAIR TO
MANY FAMILIES. TRK 1 ---------
THE RULE CHANGE FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
AFFECTS PEOPLE 18 TO 49 WHO
HAVE NO KIDS AND ARE NOT
DISABLED. RIGHT NOW -
AMERICANS QUALIFYING FOR THE
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OR FOOD
STAMPS MUST WORK AT LEAST 20-
HOURS A WEEK FOR MORE THAN 3
MONTHS OVER A THREE YEAR
PERIOD. BUT STATES HAVE
CREATED WAIVERS FOR AREAS WITH
HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT.. Everyone
wants to work. Our clients are
working people but if you're
living in rural Arizona or
many parts of our community
you may not have access to 20
hours of livable wage. MICHAEL
MCDONALD IS THE C-E-O OF THE
SOUTHERN ARIZONA COMMUNITY
FOOD BANK AND HE'S CONCERNED
ABOUT A NEW RULE THAT GOES
INTO EFFECT NEXT SPRING THAT
SAYS IN ORDER TO USE THAT
WAIVER FOR FOOD STAMPS PEOPLE
MUST LIVE IN COMMUNITIES THAT
HAVE AN UNEMPLOYMENT OF SIX
PERCENT OR HIGHER...THAT'S
NEARLY DOUBLE THE NATIONAL
AVERAGE. if government doesn't
do their part, we can't make
up for the gap. SONNY
PURDUE...THE SECRETARY OF
AGRICULTURE SAID IN A
STATEMENT THIS WEEK...
"AMERICANS ARE GENEROUS PEOPLE
WHO BELIEVE IT IS THEIR
RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP THEIR
FELLOW CITIZENS WHEN THEY
ENCOUNTER A DIFFICULT STRETCH.
GOVERNMENT CAN BE A POWERFUL
FORCE FOR GOOD, BUT GOVERNMENT
DEPENDENCY HAS NEVER BEEN THE
AMERICAN DREAM. WE NEED TO
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE BY GIVING
THEM A HELPING HAND BUT NOT
ALLOWING IT TO BECOME AN
INDEFINITELY GIVING HAND."
MCDONALD SAYS THIS CHANGE WILL
AFFECT ROUGHLY 7- THOUSAND
SOUTHERN ARIZONANS. They need
a helping hand, they just need
help today. We're not living
up to our citizenship
responsibilities to one
another to say hey we take
care of one another in need.
There are people in need right
now. THE U-S-D-A SAYS THIS NEW
WORK REQUIREMENT RULE WILL
SAVE FIVE POINT FIVE BILLION
DOLLARS OVER FIVE YEARS. THIS
CHANGE TO SNAP TAKES EFFECT
APRIL FIRST.
(AD LIB 1ST WX)
Tonight - Rain likely, mainly
after 11pm. Cloudy, with a low
around 48. Light and variabl
