Minnesota mom faces SNAP loss under new work requirements for parents of teens
The Story
A single mother in Minnesota who is unemployed and has been applying for over 100 jobs may lose her food stamps because of new work requirements under the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The law changed the exemption for parents of children under 18 to only apply to those with children under 14, and her youngest child turned 14 in December. Mara, who asked that her last name be withheld due to stigma, relies on SNAP benefits to feed herself and her two teenagers. She said without SNAP there are no funds for food. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that roughly 2.4 million people will lose food benefits in a typical month over the next decade because of the changes, including 300,000 parents with children 14 or older. Policy experts argue the policy does not account for challenges faced by single parents and the sluggish job market.
Key Facts
- Mara is a single mom in Minnesota with two children; her youngest turned 14 in December.
- Previously, SNAP recipients with children under 18 were exempt from work requirements; now the exemption only applies to children under 14.
- Recipients must work, volunteer, or participate in job training at least 80 hours a month.
- Mara has applied for over 100 positions since being let go from a part-time administrative assistant role in August.
- In Minnesota, recipients who do not qualify for an exemption may lose assistance as early as April 1.
- The Congressional Budget Office estimates 2.4 million people will lose food benefits in a typical month over the next decade, including 300,000 parents with children 14 or older.
- The new law also imposes work requirements on veterans, homeless people, young adults aging out of foster care, and able-bodied adults without dependents ages 55 to 64.
- Waivers for work requirements now only apply to areas with unemployment above 10%.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
The exact implementation timeline for SNAP changes in states other than Minnesota is not specified in the article.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Mara (last name withheld), single mother in Minnesota
- Lauren Bauer, researcher at the Brookings Institution
- Gina Plata-Nino, SNAP director at the Food Research & Action Center
Sources: NPR
