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Connections
A smiling man with short dark hair wearing a blue button-down shirt and a grey blazer. He is holding a pair of eyeglasses. The word "Connections" appears on the left side of the photo in vertical letters.
Connections

Understanding the cuts to SNAP and food assistance

By Evan Dawson,
Veronica Volk, Julie Williams
Published September 3, 2025 at 3:11 PM EDT
From left, Foodlink's Mitch Gruber, Julia Tedesco and Whitley Hasty with "Connections" host Evan Dawson on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025.
George Yeadon
/
WXXI News
From left, Foodlink's Mitch Gruber, Julia Tedesco and Whitley Hasty with "Connections" host Evan Dawson on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025.

Nearly 2.5 million Americans could lose their SNAP benefits as part of the recently passed federal budget.

Republicans in Congress have argued that these are not actual cuts to food benefits; rather, they represent an adjustment in benefits. At Foodlink, the message is clear: these are cuts, and the people who will bear the brunt tend to be older, including many veterans.

We discuss what's actually happening with the Foodlink team:

  • Mitch Gruber, Foodlink Chief Impact Officer
  • Julia Tedesco, Foodlink CEO
  • Whitley Hasty, Foodlink benefits navigation manager

Connections
Evan Dawson
Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
See stories by Evan Dawson
Veronica Volk
Veronica Volk is a senior producer and editor for WXXI News.
See stories by Veronica Volk
Julie Williams
Julie Williams is an associate producer for "Connections with Evan Dawson." She started at WXXI in 2019 and has been working on Connections since 2022.
See stories by Julie Williams