A Spot at the Table – Living with Hunger and a Disability

“Every penny I receive from disability benefits is spoken for before I even get it,” says Brian Clark, a member of the Community Advisory Network (CAN). Brian was the victim of random violence years ago that left him permanently disabled and unable to work. Brian lives on a fixed income from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and receives Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Since Brian’s monthly income is limited, it is extremely challenging to cover the cost of his most basic needs:

“I’m capped, I can’t ever move forward or do anything financially constructive to invest in myself. I’d love to be able to buy clothes, get a haircut, or get dental work done, but that’s not realistic for me on my income. There’s no money left over to prepare for an emergency expense or take care of car maintenance. I’m always just staying ahead of next month’s bills.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the temporary State of Emergency declared by Washington state, Brian’s monthly SNAP amount has been $250, the max amount he is eligible for. With Governor Inslee’s announcement that the State of Emergency will end on October 31, 2022, Brian’s benefits will likely return to his pre-COVID amount of $30-$60 a month. This is not enough to access produce and high-quality ingredients, and the unpredictable fluctuation in monthly benefit amounts creates stress, fear, and dread. The pre-COVID SNAP benefits are not adequate, and people primarily end up eating processed foods which are more affordable but can lead to long-term health problems.

Brian’s story, unfortunately, is not unique: nonworking disabled people are three times as likely as nondisabled people to experience food insecurity. Even before the pandemic, disabled people faced numerous barriers to accessing food, most commonly including high unemployment rates, low wages, restrictions around eligibility for social safety net programs, and physical and transportation barriers. SNAP is an important support for many people with disabilities. One in five SNAP households has a non-elderly adult with a disability.

But Brian knows that advocacy is needed for these programs to really support the people they are designed to serve. When asked what advocacy means to him, Brian said “It’s trying to put in work to make us all equal – it gives me the chance to argue or debate with compassion. With the Community Advisory Network, I feel like I’m given a spot at a table where people will actually listen to me and not blow me off. It’s easy to feel like my ideas or opinions aren’t being considered in other spaces. Each time we meet, at least one of us will say something that will help make a difference.”

Hunger is intersectional – it can impact anyone, but it is more likely to disproportionately affect people who are marginalized, whether that’s a person of color, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, or someone with a disability. It is more important than ever to advocate for policies that increase access to, and adequacy of, SNAP benefits.