Opinion: SNAP is vital for local economies, small biz and community health | Crain's Cleveland Business

As a local grocer, I see firsthand what many policymakers in Columbus and Washington may not: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is an essential nutrition provider, an economic driver and a community health lifeline.

In recent months, proposals have surfaced that would significantly reduce SNAP funding by tightening eligibility, cutting benefits, or shifting a greater portion of the program’s costs to states. While these well-intentioned concerns about government spending are valid, relying on SNAP for the currently proposed level of savings would come at a high price for our very poorest neighbors.

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