Ending Hunger: Improving Access to Safety Net Programs

Join us for this training and discussion to learn more about how hunger and poverty impact Tennesseans in Northeast Tennessee. The training will include recently released food insecurity data and stories from the people that we serve to demonstrate the reality of hunger and how working families are impacted by the benefits cliff. We will dive into the Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) policy and how we can work together to bring this opportunity to Tennesseans.

When low-income families have access to the safety net, they are more likely to have a path out of poverty. But sometimes, using the safety net opens families up to the benefits cliff and hurts them in the long run. We can significantly reduce the SNAP benefits cliff in Tennessee by adopting the BBCE policy. Tennessee is one of just eight states that have not implemented this policy, which harms Tennesseans. Beyond SNAP, we will discuss how the benefits cliff impacts people trying to access housing. We will also cover WIC and TANF, two other safety net programs that support families.

This event is hosted in partnership with the Tennessee Justice Center, Second Harvest Foodbank of Northeast Tennessee, First Tennessee Development District, and Strong Families of Northeast Tennessee