McDowell County, West Virginia, Birthplace of Food Stamps, Faces a Disappearing Safety Net
MCDOWELL COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA, JUL 21 – Federal funding cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill risk destabilizing McDowell County nonprofits that operate on a narrow 3% margin and serve a population with high poverty rates.
- On July 4, President Trump signed the 'One Big Beautiful Bill', while Nevada Democrats claim it will significantly affect health care, cut food assistance, and wreck the state’s budget.
- It restores work requirements for SNAP recipients, making permanent the 2017 tax brackets, and includes $50 billion in rural health grants over 10 years, shaping federal policy scope.
- Reporting by Generation West Virginia shows seven nonprofits in McDowell County, WV, run on a 3 percent operating margin, while the cancellation of the Digital Equity Act in May hinders broadband for 20 percent of households.
- According to Hunger Free Oklahoma, Chris Bernard warned SNAP benefits could lose about 140 million meals in Oklahoma, while added costs and eligibility changes will affect recipients.
- The governor asserts he’s prioritizing public safety, education, and cutting red tape, noting the bill excludes children, seniors, and the disabled from coverage loss and provides tax relief that encourages work and investment.
37 Articles
37 Articles
West Virginia, the birthplace of food stamps, faces a disappearing safety net
For nonprofits in McDowell County, West Virginia, the federal cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act threaten a lifeline. Many of McDowell’s 17,000 residents rely on federal programs and the nonprofits they fund to get by. The county’s tax base and population have significantly declined since 1950, when McDowell was the top coal-producing county in the nation and had about 100,000 residents. Now, more than half the children in the county receive…

McDowell County, West Virginia, birthplace of food stamps, faces a disappearing safety net
Nonprofits in McDowell County, West Virginia, face severe challenges due to federal funding cuts. Once a thriving coal hub, the county now struggles with poverty, with over one-third of residents living below the poverty line.
How SNAP benefits may be affected by President Trump's 'big beautiful bill'
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Millions of people each year rely on supplemental nutrition assistance, also known as SNAP benefits, to feed themselves and their families. Although many are raising the question of how these benefits will change with President Trump's new federal budget bill. Four-star general, former MDA official ‘unanimously confirmed’ to lead Golden Dome project "We hear that a lot of people are pretty panicked," said Carol Gu…
How many Missourians may be affected by SNAP cuts?
MISSOURI -- After the Trump administration passed the "One Big Beautiful Bill" in early July, many Missourians who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are bracing for the legislation's cuts to SNAP. The bill plans to slash over $186 billion over the next ten years while expanding work requirements for recipients to receive SNAP benefits. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, around 10.5 percent of the Misso…
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