Schools, nonprofits, and community organizations across the United States are shutting down nutrition education programs after funding was eliminated under President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill, effective September 30.
Federal Cuts Impact Health Programs
The bill cut funding for the US Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed), which has supported community health and nutrition initiatives for decades. These cuts mean schools, food banks, and nonprofits must now wind down free cooking classes, exercise sessions, and wellness programs that served low-income families and seniors.
Community Programs Face Closures
In San Francisco, nonprofit Leah’s Pantry, which has been offering nutrition and health programs since 2006, will lose 90% of its federal funding. Founder and Executive Director Adrienne Markworth called the cuts “catastrophic for public health nutrition.”
Leah’s Pantry previously hosted weekly exercise and cooking sessions. For seniors like 72-year-old Kengsoi Chou Lei, the classes provided both physical activity and mental well-being. With funding gone, the organization plans to shrink its schedule drastically.
SNAP-Ed: A Key Public Health Program
Since its launch in 1992, SNAP-Ed has invested over $9 billion in teaching families about healthy eating, cooking skills, and school gardens. The program reached 1.8 million people in 2022, according to USDA data.
Supporters argue that SNAP-Ed directly aligned with the Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission, which aimed to reduce childhood chronic disease.
Lisa Kingery, CEO of FoodRight in Milwaukee, said cutting the program deprives students of vital skills: “When we cut SNAP-Ed, we’re cutting kids off from learning how to cook and eat healthy foods.”
Political Debate Over Effectiveness
Republican lawmakers justified the cuts by labeling SNAP-Ed as “ineffective and duplicative,” citing a 2019 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. However, experts argue the USDA had already addressed most concerns and improved oversight.
Cindy Long, former USDA deputy undersecretary for nutrition, said: “SNAP-Ed was evidence-based, and the claim that it was redundant doesn’t hold up.”
States Left to Manage Reduced Funding
Some states will end all SNAP-Ed programs immediately, while others will use leftover 2025 funds to continue reduced operations for a few months before phasing out. This shift will transfer the responsibility of nutrition education to states and local organizations, many of which lack the resources to sustain them.
