New data from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities shows that more than 4.5 million people have lost SNAP food assistance since July 2025. In just nine months, national participation fell by roughly 11%.

And children are being hit particularly hard.

In the states where child-level data is available, 1.1 million children have already lost SNAP, and CBPP estimates the national number is likely more than 1.5 million children.

These numbers matter because behind every statistic is a family trying to put food on the table, a child who needs enough to eat to learn and grow, a senior stretching a fixed income, or a neighbor trying to make it through the month.

And the full impact of the 2025 federal reconciliation law has not yet been felt.

Expanded work requirements, fewer exemptions, increased administrative burdens, and a historic shift of SNAP costs from the federal government to states are still being implemented.

For Nevada, that matters deeply.

Beginning in 2027, Nevada could be required to contribute toward the cost of SNAP benefits while also absorbing significantly higher administrative costs. Those new responsibilities will arrive as lawmakers are making difficult decisions about housing, health care, education, mental health, and other essential needs.

As Congress continues its work on the Farm Bill and Nevada prepares for the 2027 Legislative Session, Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada will continue advocating for a strong SNAP program that protects access to food rather than creating new barriers.

Because feeding our neighbors isn’t simply a budget question.

It is a question of who we choose to be as a community.