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Committee adopts amendment halving SNAP-outreach appropriation, hears support from food-bank and United Way witnesses
Summary
The committee adopted an A1 amendment changing the HF45 appropriation for SNAP outreach from $1,000,000 to $500,000 per fiscal year and heard testimony from Second Harvest Heartland, Neighborhood House and United Way about outreach work to connect Minnesotans with SNAP benefits.
The House Committee on Children and Families adopted an amendment to House File 45 that reduces the proposed state appropriation for SNAP outreach grants from $1,000,000 per year to $500,000 per year, then heard testimony from food‑bank and nonprofit witnesses about outreach work linking eligible Minnesotans to federal food benefits.
Representative Perez Vega moved HF45 and introduced an A1 amendment to modify the appropriation. The chair moved the amendment and the committee adopted it by voice vote.
Mesa Siebert, Neighbor Services Outreach Manager at Second Harvest Heartland, described the SNAP outreach program and cited recent outreach results: in 2024 Second Harvest’s team held more than 200 outreach events, generated more than 17,000 inquiries and assisted more than 8,500 Minnesotans with SNAP. Siebert said Minnesota’s SNAP participation among eligible people ranks 30th in the nation and that increasing outreach helps bring federal nutrition dollars into local economies. “For every 1 meal our food bank provides, SNAP can provide 9,” Siebert said.
Jana Gracia, president and CEO of Neighborhood House, told the committee that Neighborhood House distributed roughly 47% more food year over year and that the organization helps families complete the SNAP application and follow up with documentation. Yvette Isaiah Martinez of Greater Twin Cities United Way said Minnesota 2‑1‑1 made 15,000 referrals related to food security in 2024 and that food‑security referrals increased 57% over three years.
Members asked questions about where state funding should be targeted. Representative Ngo and others noted that outreach grants fund application assistance rather than direct food purchases; witnesses said outreach helps eligible people enroll in SNAP so they can receive monthly benefits at grocery stores. Representative McDonald said she personally favored the full appropriation but accepted the sponsor’s compromise in the current budget environment.
Representative Perez Vega asked the committee to restore funding to avoid a “funding cliff” for the program and emphasized that SNAP outreach leverages federal dollars and local grocery spending. The committee laid HF45 over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill.
