PHILADELPHIA, PA – Julio 18, 2025 – On Viernes morning, State Senator Art Haywood (D-4) was joined by fellow lawmakers and nonprofit leaders at a press conference in Philadelphia to sound the alarm on new federal work requirements for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), set to take effect on Septiembre 1, 2025.
Held outside the Save-A-Lot grocery store at 6301 Chew Avenue, the event brought urgent attention to sweeping changes passed under the federal “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which will significantly expand work reporting mandates. Under the new rules, adults ages 18–64, parents of children ages 7 and older, and individuals without clear exemptions must meet new criteria or risk losing their food benefits.
“These burdensome new regulations won’t just hurt individuals and families—they’ll hurt grocery stores, their workers, and even Pennsylvania farmers,” said Senator Haywood. “I spoke with the general manager here, who told me that around 80 percent of his customers rely on SNAP. These changes are designed to make people fall through the cracks.”
“SNAP isn’t just aid—it’s dignity,” Haywood added. “We need to act now. We cannot wait until Septiembre 1 to ensure our neighbors still have food on the table.”
Senator Haywood was joined by State Senators Vincent Hughes, Christine Tartaglione, Sharif Street, and Tim Kearney; representatives from Philabundance, Share Food Program, the Urban Affairs Coalition.
“When work requirements have been introduced in other states, we’ve seen they do not work and they cost local governments hundreds of millions of dollars to administer. Now because of this big, ugly bill, this failed operation and the tab are being forced on local communities,” said Senator Hughes. “We’re about to see the SNAP program become more cumbersome and harder for the people who need it to access. This is unnecessary cruelty.”
“In my district, I represent over 170,000 people on Medicaid—the highest number in the state,” said Senator Tartaglione. “That tells you everything you need to know about the level of need in our communities. These new SNAP rules will make that struggle even harder.”
Jon Miller, Chief Operating Officer of the Share Food Program, emphasized the strain the changes will place on food banks already operating at capacity. “We know firsthand how this will disrupt local economies and deepen food insecurity. Families will be forced to choose between groceries and other essentials, and emergency food providers simply cannot fill the gap,” he said.
“These past few years, Philabundance has seen firsthand that hunger is on the rise. Nearly 700,000 people in our region are facing food insecurity – a 44% increase over two years,” said Loree D. Jones Brown, CEO of Philabundance. “Despite our best efforts, food banks cannot make up for a benefits loss of this magnitude – especially as we are already stretched thin struggling to keep up with rising demand, all while losing federal funding ourselves.”
The press conference also highlighted that Philadelphia has the highest poverty rate of any major U.S. city, with more than 1 in 5 households facing food insecurity. An estimated 144,000 Pennsylvanians could lose SNAP benefits, including working families, caregivers, returning citizens, and people with chronic health issues.
The speakers called on state and local partners to take immediate steps to inform residents, expand support services, and advocate for policy changes that protect vulnerable communities.