The next is the transcript of the interview with Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Nov. 30, 2025.
NANCY CORDES: We flip now to the battle in opposition to starvation in the USA. Based on authorities knowledge, 47.4 million folks lived in what the Division of Agriculture calls a meals insecure family in 2023. That is when a family cannot essentially get hold of sufficient meals to feed all of its members. One of many largest teams working to fight meals insecurity is Feeding America, and we’re joined now by CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, who’s in Charleston, South Carolina this morning. Claire, thanks a lot for being with us, and glad Thanksgiving.
CLAIRE BABINEAUX-FONTENOT: Thanks for having me again.
NANCY CORDES: Completely. So throughout the shutdown, we noticed these extremely lengthy traces at meals banks. The shutdown has now been over for a few weeks. SNAP advantages are going out once more, however even earlier than the shutdown, meals insecurity was at its highest fee in practically a decade. So, what’s the scenario now that you just’re seeing at meals banks across the nation as we head into the vacations?
BABINEAUX-FONTENOT: Yeah. So I am so glad that you- you made that time. I- I believe your viewers could also be stunned to be taught that meals insecurity charges earlier than the shutdown have been greater than at any level throughout the pandemic, for example. We’re persevering with to see very excessive demand. I believe a part of the reason being as a result of the quickest rising group of individuals turning to the charitable meals system, they’re individuals who do not even qualify for any federal diet applications so that is an space that we have got to remain targeted on. We all know the sorts of issues that work. We have to do these issues in order that we will actually tackle what’s occurring with starvation and poverty within the nation,
NANCY CORDES: What do you suppose is contributing to the rise in starvation and this group of people that, as you say, do not qualify for advantages, however are displaying an elevated want for meals?
BABINEAUX-FONTENOT: Yeah, I believe it is that the system is damaged. Proper now, there’s so many individuals, for those who can think about, on this nation who cannot afford to get a increase at work, as a result of we have now a system that doesn’t incentivize folks to proceed to maneuver up the ladder. We have ladders with massive lacking rungs, if you’ll, so we will do one thing about that. We might have a sliding scale, as an example, that permits folks to maneuver out of poverty. By doing that, as a result of meals insecurity is definitely a symptom of poverty, they’re going to transfer out of that as effectively. We as a nation ought to all need folks to have the ability to present for themselves. We should always all need them to have the ability to get work that they’ll really feel pleased with and assist their households with. We have now the ability to do all of these issues, it’s going to require that we work collectively, that we be trustworthy about what’s damaged, and that we actually get dedicated about fixing these issues.
NANCY CORDES: What are the principle challenges that the organizations in your community are going through this vacation season as they attempt to feed people who find themselves hungry? Is the meals there for the individuals who want it?
BABINEAUX-FONTENOT: Yeah, sadly, the traces are longer than- than the meals that’s accessible, and one of many hardest issues to witness will probably be seeing these individuals who have the identical goals, aspirations for his or her youngsters and themselves, as I’ve for mine and your whole viewers have for theirs, feeling the necessity to flip to the charitable meals system. It takes numerous braveness and resiliency and dedication to household ofttimes to have the ability to do this, after which for them to show up regardless of all of these limitations, and not- us not be capable of present them with what they actually need so I’ve a deep respect for folks experiencing starvation on this nation. I have been an individual who’s skilled starvation earlier than. I do know many individuals who’ve, many individuals who nonetheless do, so lots of them are my heroes. After which one other set of heroes that I’ve are folks working on this battle within the Feeding America community, who present up shoulder to shoulder with folks experiencing starvation, who’re so deeply dedicated to their effectively being. So we have to place folks experiencing starvation to have the ability to fend for themselves, and we have to place meals banks to have the ability to present them with the assist that they want on this second, till they get there.
NANCY CORDES: As , there are about two million People who’re going to be affected by modifications to the SNAP program that have been made earlier this 12 months in a vote by Congress. They won’t be receiving SNAP advantages any longer. What are the financial implications of that? And in about 30 seconds, what can your organizations do about it?
BABINEAUX-FONTENOT: Based on the Congressional Price range Workplace, we’re most likely taking a look at a few six billion meal per 12 months hole that is going to be created. So the sorts of issues that we should do: we ought to handle fraud the place it exists. We should incentivize folks to have the ability to get the hand up that they want and to maneuver out of poverty. We ought to handle error charges, however we should do all of these items strategically, and we should do them in a bipartisan means. This should be the type of factor that this nation can come collectively round, that we will maintain fingers shoulder to shoulder, as a result of when folks experiencing starvation win, all of us do.
NANCY CORDES: Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, we have now to go away it there. We have a tough out. However thanks a lot, Claire Babineaux-Fontenot from Feeding America. Thanks a lot.
