I spotted Tomás Edison selling herbs and fresh greens from his household garden, Chango Garden, and walked over to his table under the shade trees of California Park on the opening day of the West End Farmers Market. Tomás is a fellow urban grower who once let me cure my sweet potatoes in his backyard high tunnel. As we caught up, a woman approached and handed him SNAP (Food Stamp) vouchers to buy a bag of fresh organic dill.
The Black-led Change Today, Change Tomorrow—a grantee partner of the Presbyterian Hunger Program—launched the West End Farmers Market last year, and this was the first day of its second season, on a glorious, sunny Sunday. Remarkably, this brand-new market had more SNAP dollars redeemed than any of the well-established, larger farmers markets scattered throughout central and eastern Louisville.
The West End Farmers Market is the only market serving this vast section of Louisville. Food insecurity and tragically poor health outcomes are chronic here. The West End, where about 80% of the population is Black, is served by only one full-service supermarket—one Kroger for 62,000 people. We call this scenario, the result of decades of redlining, under-investment, and racism, not a “food desert” but “food apartheid” because of the systemic and intentional nature of the problem.
Market organizers ensured that customers could use SNAP and set up EBT (electronic benefits transfer) and Double Dollar Food Bucks, which doubles SNAP benefits when used to purchase fresh food and vegetable seedlings at markets. Other names for this program that doubles the amount of produce you can buy include Produce Perks, SNAP Stretch, Fresh Bucks, and, in Hawai’i, Da Bux.
Double Bucks is funded by the national Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), named after Gus Schumacher, a tireless and impressive Presbyterian I met at various national conferences, who once served from 1977 to 2001 as Under Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture.
From Gus Schumacher to Tomás Edison, this virtuous circle has been a godsend for hungry people and farmers alike.
Until now.
The new budget passed this week by the House of Representatives will make historic reductions to both SNAP and Medicaid. While it grants large tax cuts ($3.3 to $3.8 trillion over a decade), primarily benefiting the wealthy, and increases defense ($150 billion) and border security spending ($175 billion), over ten years, SNAP stands to lose $300 billion and Medicaid would lose $700 billion. The Medicaid and SNAP changes alone are projected to increase the uninsured rate by up to 30% and eliminate food assistance for millions, with particularly severe effects on vulnerable groups.
Historic Cuts to SNAP (Food Stamps):
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program faces the largest cuts in its history, with federal funding reductions ranging from 5% to 25% starting in 2028. This could eliminate more than 25% of all federal SNAP spending over the next ten years, jeopardizing benefits for millions, especially children, seniors, and people with disabilities. For the first time, states will be required to cover part of SNAP benefit costs, potentially leading to more stringent eligibility requirements and local benefit reductions. It is an economic disaster as well—SNAP cuts will reduce local economic activity, as every dollar in SNAP benefits generates about $1.54 in economic returns.
Impact on Medicaid:
The budget’s Medicaid provisions are expected to cause millions to lose coverage. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates at least 7.7 million more uninsured due to Medicaid and ACA changes, with some estimates as high as 13.7 million across all affected programs. New work requirements and administrative hurdles will disproportionately affect older adults, people with disabilities, and low-income families. Furthermore, reductions in federal funding will increase uncompensated care costs for hospitals and nursing homes, particularly in rural and low-income areas. States may need to cut optional Medicaid benefits or raise taxes to compensate for the lost federal support.
The Amplified Harm of SNAP and Medicaid Cuts:
The combined impact of these cuts to SNAP and Medicaid will be devastating. Together, they will amplify hardship by increasing poverty, hunger, and poor health outcomes. When families lose access to food assistance and healthcare at the same time, the risk of chronic illness, malnutrition, and financial instability skyrockets. Children and seniors are especially vulnerable, as are people with disabilities and those living in already high-poverty areas. The loss of these essential supports will trap more families in cycles of poor health and deepening poverty, straining community resources and undermining local economies.
Kentucky and Especially ‘Red States’:
Kentucky—and a disproportionate number of red states—will be among the hardest hit due to high reliance on these programs and already elevated rates of food insecurity. States that voted Republican in recent elections, such as Louisiana, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky, and South Carolina, have some of the highest SNAP participation rates in the country, with up to 19% of their populations relying on the program, compared to the national average of about 12%. These states also tend to have higher poverty rates and food insecurity, making them more vulnerable to reductions in food assistance.
Back in Kentucky, over 575,000 Kentuckians currently rely on SNAP to afford groceries. The proposed cuts and policy changes could reduce or eliminate food assistance for many, especially older adults, children, and low-income families. For the first time in nearly 50 years, Kentucky would be required to cover a significant share of SNAP benefit costs. Covering just 10% of SNAP would cost Kentucky $127 million annually; the phased-in plan could require up to $290 million by 2034. This is equivalent to the benefits for more than 60,000 participants or the cost of hiring over 2,300 public school teachers.
Expanded work reporting requirements would put an estimated 135,000 Kentuckians—especially older adults and families with children—at risk of losing benefits due to paperwork and red tape, not because they are ineligible.
From an economic standpoint, SNAP brings nearly $1.3 billion annually to Kentucky retailers and farmers. Every $1 in SNAP generates up to $2 in local economic activity. Cuts would hurt local economies, especially in rural areas, and could force some retailers to stop accepting SNAP. Kentucky already has one of the highest rates of food insecurity in the nation, with nearly 16% of the population—including one in five children—lacking consistent access to enough food. The proposed cuts would worsen this situation, especially in the state’s most vulnerable counties.
In addition:
- Up to 421,000 Kentucky students could lose free school meals tied to SNAP, affecting health and learning.
- SNAP cuts would end benefits for some immigrants and eliminate nutrition education programs at Kentucky universities.
- Shifting SNAP costs to Kentucky would reduce support during recessions, worsening hardship for vulnerable families.
Back at the Farmers Market
On that glorious opening day at the West End Farmers Market, the power of community was unmistakable—neighbors supporting neighbors, local growers sharing their harvest, and families stretching their food dollars. But as we celebrate these moments of joy, we cannot ignore the urgent threats facing our communities. The proposed cuts to SNAP and Medicaid are not just policy shifts—they are attacks on the health, dignity, and future of our neighborhoods. Now is the time to resist these harmful changes and organize for the world we need: one where everyone has access to good food, wellness, and the chance to survive and thrive. Let’s channel the spirit of the market—rooted in mutual aid and collective care—and resist and build together.
Take action today: Send a letter to your representatives. The Presbyterian Office of Public Witness has prepared the template for this important action alert. Make your voice heard!
By Andrew Kang Bartlett, National Associate for the Presbyterian Hunger Program
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