New Jersey Senate Passes Bill that Would Make Poor Yeshiva Bochurim Eligible for SNAP

The New Jersey Senate approved legislation today sponsored by Senator Anthony M. Bucco that would ensure economically disadvantaged college students could get help buying groceries from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) if they qualify for assistance under the New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF).

“I am extremely pleased that the Senate advanced this legislation. We want to prevent college students from being forced to choose between course work and 20+ hours at a part-time job. That is inconsistent with the EOF’s purpose of helping residents attend college,” said Bucco (R-25). “This bill protects students from employment requirements that result in many young people facing a choice between SNAP benefits and earning the grades they need to succeed in school and earn their degrees.”

The SNAP program helps low-income individuals and families purchase healthy foods, but recipients are required to work a minimum of 20 hours each week to maintain benefits.

Bucco’s legislation, S-1749, would exempt undergraduates from the work requirements necessary for SNAP benefits if they qualify for financial assistance under the EOF program.

Research shows that too many college students are coping with food insecurities every day. A survey of more than 150,000 students in 2019 found that “39% of students at two-or four-year schools had experienced food insecurity in the last 30 days,” and more than half those in a 2020 study reported they “sometimes used off-campus food banks.”

“The most vulnerable are those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The absence of a nutritious diet while in college can have detrimental effects on students’ academic performance and general health,” said Bucco. “If they aren’t getting enough to eat, they can find it difficult to focus and are more likely to see their grades slip. Too many end up dropping out of school due to food insecurity.”

The Educational Opportunity Fund provides undergraduate students from both educationally and financially disadvantaged backgrounds with grants from $200 to $3,050 annually depending on the type of institution and level of need.

SNAP was established pursuant to federal law, and the program is subject to compliance with certain minimum federally established work requirements and eligibility criteria. Accordingly, the relaxation of work requirements for Educational Opportunity Fund award recipients would not take effect until the federal Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) authorizes a waiver of existing work requirements for the students identified in the bill.