More Americans are hungry in the face of federal cuts, rising grocery prices

Rising grocery prices and federal cuts to food assistance programs have increased hunger in the U.S., with food pantries like Ritenour Co-Care adapting by offering cheaper alternatives. Over 4 million Americans lost SNAP benefits between February 2025 and February 2026 due to policy changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which eliminated work requirement exemptions for vulnerable groups. Tennessee alone lost 100,000 SNAP recipients since fall 2025.