FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Information
Micaela Whalen
New Hampshire Food Bank
603.669.9725 ext. 1246
micaela.whalen@nhfoodbank.org

MANCHESTER, N.H. — New Hampshire Food Bank Executive Director Elsy Cipriani released the following statement in support of protecting New Hampshire’s SNAP benefits:

“In uncertain economic times, food support programs matter more than ever. The New Hampshire Food Bank (NHFB), a program of Catholic Charities New Hampshire, recently joined Feeding America’s national call to action, urging Congress to delay a looming financial penalty on state SNAP administration and prioritize long-term, sustainable leadership for the future of federal nutrition assistance.”

Under the passed H.R.1 legislation, federal lawmakers are expanding strict work requirements and tightening SNAP eligibility rules. Because New Hampshire’s 8.85% administrative error rate is above 6%, the state faces a massive financial penalty. New Hampshire is not alone in this. States like Massachusetts and Maine also have error rates ranging from 11% to 12.5%, leaving them facing steep financial penalties as well. Starting October 1, 2027, New Hampshire could be forced to cover 10% of all SNAP benefits. This means the state legislature would have to find more than $15 million in state tax dollars just to cover this annual cost shift and to maintain the crucial program that keeps meals on the table for thousands of residents. This looming financial penalty comes at a time when SNAP access is already under severe threat.

According to the NH Fiscal Policy Institute, 4,000 Granite Staters are projected to lose access to their SNAP benefits if these changes take effect. For individuals and families already struggling with food insecurity, these strict new rules create devastating hurdles to accessing basic nutrition. Food banks, church pantries, school meal programs, and SNAP help our neighbors bridge the gap when times get tough.

The SNAP payment error rate is frequently misunderstood by the public as a measure of fraud or abuse by those receiving benefits. It is not. Instead, this rate largely reflects honest, unintentional administrative mistakes made by state agencies navigating outdated technology, severe staff shortages, incomplete case files, and overly complex, layered eligibility rules.

However, the consequences of these paperwork errors are real. Because of a simple clerical mistake, a family might receive too much and be forced to pay it back, or receive too little and go hungry. The Fiscal Year 2025 SNAP payment error rates are a stark reminder of both the scale and complexity of administering a program that supports people as they work to get back on their feet.

Program integrity matters, but our priority must be ensuring eligible families, veterans, and seniors do not lose their lifeline to food assistance. Feeding America polling shows that while 84% of voters support improving SNAP oversight, 62% say the top priority must be making sure people who need help can actually get it. These priorities are not in conflict, unless we move too quickly.

The New Hampshire Food Bank is calling on members of Congress to include a two-year delay of the SNAP cost shift in upcoming bipartisan legislation. This delay is a responsible path forward. It gives states the necessary time to stabilize operations, upgrade technology, and improve accuracy, all while avoiding sudden budget cuts or tax increases that would harm families’ ability to put nutritious food on the table.

Food banks like ours are working every day to meet the rising need and will continue to stand with our communities. But helping families bridge the gap during hard times requires strong federal food assistance programs working alongside local hunger-relief efforts.”

About the New Hampshire Food Bank
The New Hampshire Food Bank, a program of Catholic Charities New Hampshire, has been working to relieve hunger in the Granite State since 1984. In 2025, as the state’s only food bank, the New Hampshire Food Bank efficiently procured and distributed more than 20 million pounds of food to people experiencing hunger through more than 400 partner agencies. Agencies include food pantries, neighborhood centers, low-income housing sites, senior nutrition centers, family crisis centers, hospices, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after school programs and day care centers.

In addition to food distribution, the NH Food Bank leads innovative programming that helps fight the root causes of hunger by empowering people to learn new skills, enabling them to become more self-sufficient.

For more information about the New Hampshire Food Bank, please visit https://nhfoodbank.org/. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, and LinkedIn.