Empty plates delivered to Rep. Nunn
Iowa CCI members join with anti-hunger advocates to deliver messages on paper plates emphasizing the impact of federal budget cuts on food insecurity
Nearly three dozen Iowans in Representative Zach Nunn’s district visited his Des Moines office on March 21 urging him to speak out against cuts to programs that would affect childhood nutrition, food insecurity, and other safety net programs. Iowans have already been impacted by USDA cuts, notably through the cancellation of the Local Food for Schools and Local Food Purchase Assistance programs.
While Rep. Nunn was not at his office, attendees shared stories with his staff about how hunger will get exponentially worse if Congress passes a budget that includes major cuts to key Nutrition programs like SNAP. During their visit, they delivered over one hundred paper plates with hand-written messages from Iowans in district 3 about how food insecurity in Iowa will be exacerbated by proposed cuts to nutrition programs.
“With the proposed changes to child nutrition programs in the House Budget Resolution, we know that kids will lose access to some of the most nutritious meals available in our food environment, whether it's through CEP or through the extra paperwork being required to verify a family's income,” said Kaitlyn Scheuermann, school nutrition dietitian and Public Policy Coordinator for the Iowa Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “No child nutrition professional wants to see kids going hungry, and these rules will make it more burdensome for us to do what we do best - nourishing kids so they can be their best in the classroom.”
The House Resolution calls for increases in defense spending, immigration enforcement, as well as extending the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. It also directs Congress to reduce federal spending by at least $2 trillion, largely through cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.
“There is not a way to cut $230 billion from SNAP that would not do harm,” said Luke Elzinga, Policy and Advocacy Manager with DMARC. “Food banks and food pantries across the state are already breaking records. We should be focusing on making the program stronger, not taking a chainsaw to it. The fact that Congress is discussing massive cuts to nutrition programs should concern every single Iowan.”
An analysis by Yale’s Budget Lab found that any tax cuts for lower-income earners would be dwarfed by the impact of cutting healthcare and food assistance. Families whose incomes are below roughly $14,000 — would on lose an average of $1,125 annually, those who earn up to about $38,000 would lose $430. High-income families would receive enormous benefits – families making above about $650,000 would gain $43,500 annually.
“Rep. Nunn has been silent on the cuts that have been happening, or proposed cuts to finance a massive tax cut for billionaires and corporate interests,” said Jenny Turner, Iowa CCI board chair from West Des Moines. “Medicaid, SNAP, Social Security, and other public programs help our families, neighbors, and communities. Tax cuts for the wealthy elite do not.”
As of February of 2025, 75,937 individuals in Rep. Nunn’s district utilized SNAP benefits, totaling just under $13 million. The average monthly household benefit was $323.44. Given the massive impact that cuts to SNAP would have on Iowans in Rep. Nunn's district, attendees were cautiously optimistic that he will begin speaking out to protect public programs like SNAP that benefit so many Iowans.
"With Representative Nunn's history of support for food assistance programs, like cosponsoring the Hot Foods Act, we are hopeful that he will be a leading voice in Washington to speak against the proposed cuts to SNAP that would be devastating for so many children and families in Iowa," added Paige Chickering, Iowa State Manager of Save the Children Action Network.