Circle of Protection urges disaster assistance package for Puerto Rico

The Circle of Protection, a coalition of 60 leaders who head Christian denominations and organization, urges Congress  to immediately pass a disaster assistance package with $600 million for Puerto Rico’s Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP). Absent action, 1.35 million people in Puerto Rico, a third of its population, will see deep cuts to their current nutrition assistance. For example, a family of four with little or no income received the maximum NAP benefit of $649 in February. This is the same benefit level a similar household in the rest of the country receives from SNAP. However, in Puerto Rico, that household would see its monthly benefit cut to the pre-disaster benefit level of $410, a 37 percent cut. Up to 230,000 individuals could lose food assistance altogether. Some have already started to experience cuts. Read the full letter.