WAY TOO PROCESSED SO BECAUSE I'M
NOW USING THE NEWER VERSION OF
PREMIER, I USED THE DENOISER
EFFECT IN THE LATEST VERSION YOU
HAD ME DOWNLOAD AND THOUGHT
USING A MORE CON CONSERVATIVE
SETTING ON THERE IT SOUNDED
BETTER THAN THE DENOISER.
>>> WELCOME TO "NOON WEDNESDAY,"
I'M MARISA WOJCIK, MULTIMEDIA
JOURNALIST WITH "HERE & NOW" ON
WEBSITE WISCONSIN, AND TODAY IS
APRIL 7th.
>>> LAST WEEK, THE WISCONSIN
SUPREME COURT RULED THAT
GOVERNOR TONY EVERS WAS IN
VIOLATION OF STATE LAW ISSUING
EXTENSIONS OF STATEWIDE PUBLIC
HEALTH EMERGENCY ORDERS.
CONSEQUENTLY, THE STATE IS NO
LONGER ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE
NEARLY $69 MILLION IN FOOD
EMERGENCY BENEFITS FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
JOINING US TODAY TO TALK ABOUT
WHAT THIS MEANS AND WHAT MIGHT
BE DONE IS MATT KING.
HE IS THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF
HUNGER TASK FORCE, AND, MATT,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US.
I WANT TO START BY ASKING YOU --
YOU SAID THE NEED FOR FOOD
ASSISTANCE IS AT UNPRECEDENTED
LEVELS.
WHAT ARE YOU SEEING DAY IN AND
DAY OUT AS YOU ARE HELPING
WISCONSIN SECURE FOOD?
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
IT'S BEEN A TOUGH YEAR FOR
EVERYONE.
NO MATTER, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOUR
CIRCUMSTANCE IS.
UNEMPLOYMENT ACROSS WISCONSIN
HAS INCREASED BY 41% OVER THE
PAST YEAR SO FROM 3.4% TO 4.8%,
AND ALONGSIDE THAT, WE'VE SEEN A
HUGE INCREASE FOR NEED FOR FOOD
ASSISTANCE.
IN A TYPICAL MONTH, WE WOULD
SERVE 50,000 PEOPLE THROUGH OUR
CHARITABLE NETWORK.
HALF OF THOSE BEING KIDS.
10,000 LOW INCOME SENIORS.
NEED ACROSS THE STATE HAS
MIRRORED THAT AT A REALLY HIGH
LEVEL.
>> ARE THESE VERY LOW INCOME
FOLKS, ARE THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE
JUST HITTING HARD TIMES BECAUSE
OF THE PANDEMIC?
WHAT DOES THIS DEMOGRAPHIC LOOK
LIKE?
>> IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD.
IT'S PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST JOBS
AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT HAD TO SEEK
ASSISTANCE BEFORE, AND SO IT'S
BEEN REALLY TOUGH FOR A LOT OF
PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND
ASK FOR HELP FOR THE FIRST TIME.
>> AND, SO, IF THIS $69 MILLION
PER MONTH IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE
TO THE STATE, HOW MANY
HOUSEHOLDS AND HOW MANY PEOPLE
ACROSS WISCONSIN WOULD BE
IMPACTED?
>> RIGHT.
SO ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE
TOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN FIGHTING
HUNGER IS SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, OR SNAP,
WHICH IN WISCONSIN IS KNOWN AS
FOODSHARE, AND SO OVER 407,000
HOUSEHOLDS ARE CURRENTLY
ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM IN THE
STATE OF WISCONSIN, AND THAT
EQUATES TO OVER 770,000
INDIVIDUALS SO THERE'S 407,000
HOUSEHOLDS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN
THE PROGRAM WHO HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO HAVE AN INCREASE AS A RESULT
OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY,
HAVING BEEN ABLE TO RECEIVE AN
INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF SNAP
THAT THEY ARE RECEIVING.
>> AND AS YOU SAID, BECAUSE OF
THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY SO
TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT NORMAL
FOODSHARE.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF
THE PANDEMIC, RIGHT?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
SO IN THE MONTH OF MARCH,
BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, THIS
EMERGENCY FOOD SHARE WAS 55.6
MILLION COMING INTO WISCONSIN.
ON APRIL 1st, THE USDA
APPROVED AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT
AND THAT IS AN ADDITIONAL $13.4
MILLION SO $69 MILLION A MONTH
IN EMERGENCY FOOD SHARE IS NOW
AT STAKE, AND WITHOUT A PUBLIC
HEALTH EMERGENCY DECLARATION IN
WISCONSIN, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO
ACCESS THOSE FUNDS AND WILL MISS
OUT ON THAT $69 MILLION A MONTH
IN ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO HELP POOR
FOLKS IN WISCONSIN.
>> SO IF WE WERE TO BREAK THIS
DOWN A LITTLE BIT, WHAT DOES
THAT LOOK LIKE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL
PERSON?
>> SURE.
AS AN EXAMPLE, A SENIOR WHO IS
LIVING IN SUBSIDIZED HOUSING, SO
POOR SENIORS IN OUR COMMUNITY,
PRE-PANDEMIC, THEY WOULD HAVE
RECEIVED $16 PER MONTH IN
FOODSHARE, AND NOW RESULT OF
EMERGENCY FOODSHARE, ADDITIONAL
ALLOTMENT, AND THE INCREASE,
THEY RECEIVE $234 PER MONTH SO
GOING FROM $16 PER MONTH IN
ASSISTANCE TO $234 PER MONTH IN
ASSISTANCE AS AN EXAMPLE, AND SO
THAT IS AN INCREASE IN FUNDING
THAT MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR THAT
SENIOR TO NOT HAVE TO VISIT A
FOOD PANTRY, BUT RATHER TO GO TO
THE STORE AND BUY THEIR
GROCERIES, AND POINT BEING THESE
ARE 100% FEDERAL BENEFITS THAT
AIDE OUR FOOD ECONOMY, SO THESE
ARE FUNDS THAT ARE HELPING
GROWERS, FARMERS, FOOD
PRODUCERS, GROCERS, TRUCKERS, SO
THIS IS MONEY THAT'S COMING IN
TO OUR STATE ECONOMY DURING THIS
DIFFICULT TIME, CREATING AND
SUSTAINING JOBS.
>> AND SO WHAT ARE WISCONSIN'S
OPTIONS TO REINSTATE THIS
FUNDING IF THIS EMERGENCY ORDER
THAT ORIGINALLY CAME FROM THE
GOVERNOR IS NO LONGER A
POSSIBILITY?
>> SO THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE THAT
WISCONSIN IS ALONE IN.
AS EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS
EXPIRE, THERE'S GOING TO BE
ADDITIONAL STATES THAT ARE
ENCOUNTERING THIS ISSUE SO WE
ARE LOOKING CURRENTLY AT
MICHIGAN WHERE THE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH SERVICES IN THE STATE OF
MICHIGAN MADE A DECLARATION OF
THE EMERGENCY THAT ALLOWED THEM
TO CONTINUE TO ACCESS THOSE
RESOURCES SO IT DOES NOT TAKE
THE GOVERNOR OR THE LEGISLATURE
TO CREATE A STATE OF EMERGENCY
OR PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY TO BE
ELIGIBLE FOR THE FEDERAL AID.
IF WE HAD A DECLARATION OF THE
PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY ISSUED
BY THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH, THEN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO
CONTINUE TO ACCESS THESE
RESOURCES AND HELP PEOPLE IN
NEED.
>> PART OF REPUBLICAN OR THE
REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED
LEGISLATURE CRITICISM IS THAT
THEY ALREADY PUT A BILLION FORTH
THAT THE GOVERNOR VETOED THAT
REINSTATED SOME OF THAT
EMERGENCY ORDER LANGUAGE THAT
WOULD HAVE KEPT THAT FUNDING
GOING.
IS IT ALSO A POSSIBILITY THAT
THE LEGISLATURE COULD BE THE
ONES TO REINSTATE THAT FUNDING
THROUGH SOME SORT OF BILL OR
LEGISLATION?
>> CERTAINLY.
THE ISSUE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A
PARTISAN ISSUE.
IT'S FEEDING HUNGRY KIDS IN THE
STATE OF WISCONSIN.
IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE A
PARTISAN ISSUE SO WE'RE LOOKING
TO THE LEADERS TO COME FORWARD
WITH THE SOLUTION TO MAKE THIS
HAPPEN.
>> GIVEN THAT REPUBLICANS IN
WISCONSIN HAVE SOMEWHAT WANTED
TO NARROW DOWN THE FOODSHARE
PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE, UNDER
FORMER GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER,
THERE WAS STRICTER FOODSHARE
BENEFITS THAT WERE NARROWED BY
WORK REQUIREMENTS, SO GIVEN
THAT, IS IT A DIFFERENT
LANDSCAPE NOW THAT WE'RE IN A
PANDEMIC THAT REPUBLICANS ARE
OPEN TO RECEIVING THESE FEDERAL
DOLLARS FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE?
>> YEAH.
WELL, THE PANDEMIC HAS BROUGHT A
LOT OF PEOPLE CLOSER TO THE
ISSUE AND THE STRUGGLE, AND SO
THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASED
DIALOGUE AROUND THE VALUE OF THE
PROGRAMMING TO THE FOOD ECONOMY
SO THIS IS ALSO A BENEFIT FOR
FARMERS, FOR GROWERS, FOR
GROCERS.
THIS IS AN ECONOMIC STIMULUS,
NOT JUST FOOD AIDE FOR POOR
PEOPLE, AND SO I THINK THAT THE
LAST YEAR HAS REALLY
REINVIGORATED THAT DIALOGUE AND
THAT REALIZATION THAT THIS IS A
PROGRAM THAT IS MULTIFACETED
WITH MANY BENEFITS, SO AS WE
HAVE CONTINUED TO SEE THIS
INCREASE IN PARTICIPATION IN THE
PROGRAM, AT THE SAME TIME,
THERE'S BEEN FLATTENING OF THE
DEMAND FOR FOOD FROM CHARITY,
MEANING THAT THE SNAP PROGRAM
WORKS AS A FRONTLINE OF DEFENSE,
AND SO THE SAFETY NET FOR PEOPLE
WHO ARE FALLING ON HARD TIMES
REALLY IS SET UP IN SUCH A WAY
THAT THE FOOD PANTRY IS A PLACE
FOR PEOPLE TO GO IN AN
EMERGENCY, BUT THE SNAP PROGRAM
IS WHAT HELPS THEM AS THEY
TRANSITION BACK TOWARDS
EMPLOYMENT.
>> SO YOU'RE SAYING BY PEOPLE
BEING ABLE TO SPEND MORE MONEY
DIRECTLY ON GROCERIES, BECAUSE
THE SNAP PROGRAM HAS BEEN
EXPANDED UNDER THIS EMERGENCY
ORDER, THERE IS LESS OF A STRAIN
ON EMERGENCY FOOD PANTRIES AND
OTHER EMERGENCY FOOD SERVICES?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
AND WITH THE DRAMATIC INCREASE
IN UNEMPLOYMENT AND THE INCREASE
IN NEED, THE EMERGENCY FOOD
SYSTEM OF FOOD PANTRIES IS NOT
SET UP TO SUSTAIN THAT KIND OF
INCREASE, AND SO THE SNAP
PROGRAM HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY
CRITICAL IN INSURING THAT, THAT
PEOPLE DO HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES
TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS TOUGH
TIME.
>> NOW, IS FOOD SHARE THE ONLY
PIECE OR SNAP BENEFITS THE ONLY
PIECE OF THE PUZZLE?
>> CERTAINLY NOT.
SO THERE ARE OTHER FEDERAL
NUTRITION PROGRAMS THROUGH THE
USDA.
THERE'S THE EMERGENCY FOOD
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WHICH ALSO IS
A BIG SOURCE OF FOOD FOR THE
FOOD PANTRY NETWORK, AND THERE
ARE OTHER PROGRAMS SUCH AS
PANDEMIC EBT, WHICH POOR
FAMILIES ON FREE AND REDUCED
PRICED LUNCHES, SO FAMILIES WHO
DEPEND UPON SCHOOL MEALS TO FEED
THEIR KIDS BUT HAVE NOT BEEN
ABLE TO BECAUSE SCHOOLS HAVE
BEEN VIRTUAL.
THERE'S A PROGRAM IN PLACE TO
TAKE SOME OF THAT FUNDING AND
TRANSFER IT DIRECTLY TO FAMILIES
TO HELP THEM TO FEED THEIR KIDS.
>> SO WITH ALL OF THOSE
PROGRAMS, HOW IMPORTANT IS FOOD
SHARE OR SNAP BENEFITS IN THE
BIG PICTURE?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT THIS YEAR,
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF
LESSONS FROM OUR RESPONSE TO THE
PANDEMIC, AND SOME OF THE
CHANGES TO THESE PROGRAMS AND
HOW EFFECTIVE THEY HAVE BEEN, SO
I THINK THAT AS THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT APPROACHES THINGS
LIKE CHILD NUTRITION
REAUTHORIZATION, THAT THESE ARE
LESSONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO TAKE TO THAT DISCUSSION TO
HELP MAKE MORE LONGSTANDING
CHANGES WITHIN THESE PROGRAMS
AND MAKE THEM MORE EFFECTIVE IN
THE LONGER TERM.
>> SO GIVEN WAY WE KNOW ABOUT
HOW IT HAS EASED SOME STRAIN ON
FOOD PANTRIES, HOW, AS YOU HAVE
TALKED ABOUT, IT HELPS FARMERS
AND THE LARGER FOOD ECONOMY IN
THE STATE, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS A
POSSIBILITY FOR THIS KIND OF
FOOD ASSISTANCE AT THIS FUNDING
LEVEL BEING SUSTAINED AFTER THE
PANDEMIC, EVEN FURTHER OUT?
>> YEAH.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE
CONVERSATIONS.
IT HAS BEEN -- IT HAS BEEN THEE
MOST CRITICAL TOOL IN FIGHTING
HUNGER, AND IN HELPING FAMILIES
WHO HAVE FALLEN ON TOUGH TIMES,
AND AS I MENTIONED, SEEN YOUR --
SENIORS AND CHILDREN SO FOR THE
MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR
COMMUNITY, THESE ARE ABSOLUTELY
CRITICAL PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE
TO COMMIT TO MOVING FORWARD.
>> DO YOU THINK WISCONSIN
OFFICIALS, WHETHER IT'S FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES OR
THE LEGISLATURE, WILL FIND A WAY
TO REINSTATE THESE SNAP BENEFITS
AND FOODSHARE DOLLARS?
>> I DO.
AS I MENTIONED, IT DOES NOT TAKE
THE GOVERNOR OR THE LEGISLATURE
TO CREATE A STATE OF EMERGENCY
OR PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY TO BE
ELIGIBLE FOR THE FEDERAL AIDE,
SO SIMPLE PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY ISSUED BY THE
WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
WOULD GO A LONG WAY, AND IT
DOESN'T HAVE TO BE BINDING, YOU
KNOW, ON CERTAIN, YOU KNOW,
BEHAVIORS, BUT THAT CAN REALLY
JUST IN COOPERATION WITH THE
STATE OF WISCONSIN AND THE USDA
CAN WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE
THAT POOR PEOPLE IN WISCONSIN
HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT THEY
NEED.
>> ALL RIGHT.
MATT KING FROM THE HUNGER TASK
FORCE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
APPRECIATE IT.
>>> FOR MORE FROM "HERE & NOW"
AND PBS WISCONSIN, YOU CAN VISIT
PBSWISCONSIN.ORG, AND THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON "NOON
WEDNESDAY."