Doc Rivers Calls Out SNAP Delays: ‘We gotta feed our kids’
Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers spoke about the current lack of SNAP benefits. Here’s what he said.
Before the Milwaukee Bucks faced off against the Sacramento Kings on November 1, head coach Doc Rivers commented on the current state of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The program provides monthly payments to low-income families and individuals to help them buy groceries. The US Department of Agriculture previously announced that “the well has run dry” on SNAP benefits amid the ongoing government shutdown, and that payments would no longer be issued after November 1.
Rivers, who often uses his press conferences to discuss important societal issues, said, in part, “The SNAP programs around the country—and especially in Wisconsin, because that’s where I’m at right now—are going to get delayed, and this is for Republicans and Democrats: We’re talking about kids not getting food — that should never happen.”
On Monday, President Donald Trump’s administration agreed to partially fund SNAP through November after facing two rulings requiring it to maintain the food aid program. However, on Tuesday, the president said that he would continue to deny payments to millions of Americans until the shutdown has ended. That includes roughly 700,000 Wisconsin residents who receive SNAP benefits.
For Doc Rivers, and for countless others across the US, withholding these payments is simply unacceptable.
Rivers spoke about the importance of SNAP benefits for WI families
During Saturday’s press conference, Doc Rivers spoke passionately about the current state of the SNAP program. He said, “I don’t want to hear about ‘people are cheating the program’ and all that crap. A 6-year-old, 7-year-old kid is cheating nothing, and we are going to cheat the kids if we don’t take care of this. Our Republican and Democratic senators and the government have not done their jobs. The problem is the kids have to pay, and that’s ridiculous.”
Rivers added, “I think (with) everyone, there’s food banks, all kinds of places that we can donate money. We should. I am, I can tell you that. I’m telling my players to. I’m asking everyone to, and this should not be a political thing. This should not be about being a Republican or a Democrat right now; this is about our kids. And finally on that, truancy and hunger are the two biggest issues for kids learning in school, literally.”
Around 270,000 Wisconsin children benefit from the SNAP program—their families will now be left to figure out how to provide for them without these much-needed benefits. The Milwaukee Bucks head coach said that while the community can step up to help those families out, it’s the government’s responsibility to work through their current issues to prevent further delays. “We have to make sure that we feed our kids. We can drop all the other stuff, figure it out all later, but we gotta feed our kids.”
Here’s how you can support local food banks
As the government shutdown continues and SNAP benefits are withheld from those who need assistance during one of the most crucial times for food banks, local donation centers are gearing up for an influx of visitors. If you’d like to help members of your community by donating food or money, or by volunteering your time, please click here for a complete list of food pantries in Wisconsin.
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