The Autism DadProtect Food Assistance
Ready-to-use scripts to tell your members of Congress and your state officials how the 2025 SNAP cuts are hitting families, and to protect food assistance as the new rules roll out.
The basics
The same 2025 budget law that cut Medicaid also cut SNAP, the program most people know as food stamps, by nearly 187 billion dollars through 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities calls it the largest cut in the program's history. The law expands work requirements to more people and makes states pay a bigger share of the cost.
SNAP feeds working families, seniors, veterans, and about one in five children in this country. USDA data show more than 5 million fewer people on SNAP in June 2026 than in July 2025, when the law passed, a drop of about 13 percent, from about 41.6 million to about 36.4 million. In the 28 states that report child numbers, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities counts 1.5 million fewer children, and it says the nationwide drop is very likely about 2 million. States are deciding how to carry out the cuts, so state officials matter as much as Congress.
Who this affects
Food assistance is not a niche program. It feeds working parents between paychecks, seniors on fixed incomes, veterans, and millions of kids, including a lot of families who never thought they would need it. When the grocery help disappears, it lands on every family that was already stretched thin.
- The SNAP cuts are part of HR 1, the 2025 budget law, so they are already on the books, and they are rolling out in stages through 2027.
- Work requirements now reach adults up to age 65 and parents whose youngest child is 14 or older, and they no longer exempt veterans or people experiencing homelessness.
- Since October 1, 2026, states pay 75 percent of SNAP's administrative costs instead of half. Starting October 1, 2027, many states will also pay part of the cost of the benefits themselves, depending on their payment error rates.
- USDA data show more than 5 million fewer people on SNAP in June 2026 than in July 2025. Participation was already falling before the law passed, but the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities finds the decline sped up after it in almost every state. These are enrollment counts, not projections.
Fill in your reps' names
Enter your address and we'll drop your representatives' names into every script below, federal and state. Your address is used once to find your districts and is not stored. It goes to the U.S. Census geocoder to match your address to a district.
You can skip this. The scripts work as they are, with blanks for you to fill in yourself.
Call script~45 sec
Hi, my name is [YOUR NAME] and I'm a constituent from [YOUR TOWN, ZIP]. I'm calling about the cuts to SNAP, the food assistance program, in the 2025 budget law. I'm asking [SENATOR / REPRESENTATIVE LAST NAME] to fight to protect food assistance, to oppose deeper cuts, and to support restoring what was taken. [My family has counted on SNAP, and losing it would mean real hunger in my home.] Can you tell me where [SENATOR / REPRESENTATIVE LAST NAME] stands on protecting food assistance? Thank you for your time.
Email subjectif you'd rather not call
Please protect SNAP food assistance for families in our stateEmail messagepaste into the message box
Dear [SENATOR / REPRESENTATIVE LAST NAME], I'm a constituent from [YOUR TOWN, ZIP], and I'm writing about the cuts to SNAP, the food assistance program, in the 2025 budget law. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the law cuts SNAP by nearly 187 billion dollars through 2034. It expands work requirements to more people, including many who used to be exempt, and it shifts more of the cost onto states. USDA data show more than 5 million fewer people on SNAP in June 2026 than in July 2025, about 13 percent, and in the 28 states that report child numbers, 1.5 million fewer children. That is what has already happened, not a forecast. SNAP feeds working families, seniors, veterans, and about one in five kids in this country. No child in America should go hungry over a paperwork rule. [My family has relied on SNAP, and ...] I'm asking you to protect food assistance, to oppose any further cuts, and to work to restore what was taken. Please tell me where you stand. I'd appreciate a written response. Thank you, [YOUR NAME] [YOUR TOWN, ZIP]
Find them: call the U.S. Capitol switchboard 202-224-3121, or look up your address at congress.gov/members.
Call script~1 min
Hi, my name is [YOUR NAME] and I'm a constituent from [YOUR TOWN, ZIP]. I'm calling about food assistance. The 2025 federal budget law cut SNAP and pushed more of the cost and the paperwork onto states. Since October 1, our state pays 75 percent of the program's administrative costs instead of half, and it is deciding how to carry the rest out. I want [STATE LEGISLATOR / GOVERNOR LAST NAME] to protect SNAP access here, to keep the paperwork from pushing eligible families off, and to fully fund the program in our state budget. [My family has counted on food assistance, and I don't want to see neighbors go hungry over red tape.] Where does [STATE LEGISLATOR / GOVERNOR LAST NAME] stand on protecting food assistance? Thank you.
Email subjectif you'd rather not call
Protect SNAP food assistance for families in our stateEmail messagepaste into the message box
Dear [TITLE AND LAST NAME], I'm a constituent from [YOUR TOWN, ZIP], writing about food assistance here at home. The 2025 federal budget law cut SNAP and shifted more of the cost and the administrative burden onto states. Since October 1, 2026, states pay 75 percent of SNAP's administrative costs instead of half, and starting October 1, 2027, many states will pay part of the benefits too, depending on their payment error rates. That means decisions about who keeps their food help now land right here, with our state. I'm asking you to protect SNAP access, to keep new paperwork from pushing eligible families off the program, and to fully fund food assistance in our state budget. No family in our state should go hungry because of a missed form. Please tell me where you stand. I'd appreciate a written response. Thank you, [YOUR NAME] [YOUR TOWN, ZIP]
Text or DM to one person
Heads up. The 2025 budget law cut SNAP, the food stamp program, by nearly 187 billion dollars through 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office. USDA data show more than 5 million fewer people on SNAP in June 2026 than in July 2025, and 1.5 million fewer kids in the 28 states that report them. That already happened. SNAP feeds working families, seniors, veterans, and kids. Please call your members of Congress at 202-224-3121 and your state officials, and ask them to protect food assistance. Two minutes, and it keeps food on tables.Want to know when the next one matters?
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