The hungry did not go away when SNAP participation fell

In July 2025, 800,046 Louisianans received food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). By June 2026, that number had fallen to 626,575 - a decline of 173,471 people, including 82,064 fewer children, according to the data compiled in Feeding Louisiana’s SNAP participation report.

Those numbers measure participation, not hunger. A family’s need for groceries does not disappear when its SNAP benefits end. For neighbors already stretching every dollar, losing assistance can mean choosing between food and rent, utilities, medicine, or transportation.

What the decline tells us - and what it does not

The drop in participation is clear. Its causes require careful examination. The figures alone cannot tell us how many people became ineligible, encountered difficulties applying or renewing benefits, or stopped participating for another reason. We should not assume that 173,471 Louisianans no longer need help putting food on the table.

That distinction matters for Louisiana’s five regional food banks. SNAP helps families buy food through their local grocery stores. When neighbors lose that support, food banks and their community partners may be asked to help fill a larger gap. Charitable food assistance is essential, but it cannot replace the scale of SNAP.

Louisianans want food assistance protected

A May 2026 poll commissioned by Invest in Louisiana found that 74% of likely voters support SNAP and 68% want Louisiana to increase state funding for food assistance. The survey included 800 likely voters.

That support should guide our response. Louisiana needs to understand why participation is falling, make it easier for eligible households to obtain and keep benefits, and ensure food banks have the resources to respond when neighbors need immediate help.

The hungry did not go away when SNAP participation fell. Our response must be as persistent as their need.

 Pat R. Van Burkleo, Executive Director