Systems thinking reminds us that no issue exists in isolation — that food, healthcare, housing, and economic stability are interconnected parts of a larger whole. If you remove one support from a structure, the entire framework shifts— often with unintended consequences. That’s exactly what is at stake with the Senate’s recent passage of the so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill.”

This legislation — passed on July 1 by a 51–50 vote, with Vice President Vance casting the tie-breaker — includes billions of dollars in cuts to both SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and Medicaid. These aren’t just numbers on a page. These are lifelines for millions of Americans — and particularly for our neighbors here in Pierce County. Now, the bill goes back to the House for a final vote.

What can you do?

• Call your House Member (House switchboard: 202-225-3121) and urge them to Vote “No” on the budget reconciliation bill. This bill could be voted on tonight.
• Share this information with your friends, neighbors, and networks.
• Support organizations — like ours and our healthcare partners — who are working to hold the line.

What’s in the bill?

• Starting in 2028, states will be required to cover part of the cost of SNAP benefits for the first time ever — an unprecedented cost shift that could force cuts to other critical services like education, transportation, and yes — healthcare.
• The bill also imposes time limits and eligibility restrictions on food assistance, disproportionately harming low-wage workers, caregivers, seniors, and people of color.

• At the same time, the legislation makes deep cuts to Medicaid that could eliminate healthcare access for 500,000 people in Washington alone [King 5 News, 2025].

Why It Matters: Food Insecurity and Health Are Deeply Linked

• People without consistent access to food are more likely to experience chronic illnesses, including diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.
• Without Medicaid, many families will lose access to preventive care, mental health support, and prescription coverage — which in turn increases reliance on emergency rooms and leads to worse health outcomes overall.

• A hungry child struggles to concentrate in school. A parent choosing between groceries and insulin will lose ground in both health and opportunity. These aren’t hypotheticals — they’re daily realities for thousands in our community.

We are not alone in this work. Partners like Virginia Mason and Coordinated Care are on the frontlines with us, bridging the gap between food and health. Their teams understand that you can’t manage a chronic illness if you don’t have access to nutritious food. They know — and we know —that cutting Medicaid and SNAP at the same time creates a perfect storm of poorer health outcomes, increased housing instability, and deeper poverty.

As a network dedicated to emergency food access, we’re urging our community to see the bigger picture. This isn’t just about food. It’s about lives. It’s about systems. And it’s about justice.

This is a moment for engaged informed advocacy. Let’s meet it with the clarity, compassion, and courage it demands.