This a guest opinion

As an independent grocer in Opelika, Alabama, I’ve had the honor of feeding my community for nearly half a century. To me, being a community grocer is more than a career—it’s my calling.

Yet today, that calling is encountering new pressures from lawmakers in Washington. Proposed changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would reduce federal funding by over 25 percent, harming one of the most effective and efficient public-private partnerships in American history.

In Alabama, more than 300,000 Alabama households depend on SNAP to help put food on the table, with an average benefit of just $6 per day. Roughly 40 percent of these families include seniors or individuals with disabilities, and half have children. Nationwide, more than one million SNAP recipients are veterans who once served our country but now struggle to afford their next meal. These aren’t just statistics; they are our neighbors, our fellow parishioners, our classmates, and our friends; people who have fallen into hard times.

SNAP is not a handout for these people, but rather a bridge to helping people get back on their feet. Work requirements significantly limit benefits if participants do not work, and SNAP restricts the purchase of alcohol, tobacco, and household non-food products.

At Wright’s Market, we proudly serve thousands of customers each year who rely on SNAP to feed their families. They come to my store determined to stretch their SNAP dollars to provide healthy food to their families. SNAP allows us to serve these customers with dignity and meet their needs in real time.

But SNAP is more than an anti-hunger program; it’s a cornerstone of local economies in rural towns and urban centers across Alabama. Supporting more than 27,000 jobs statewide, SNAP is a powerful economic engine for Alabama, generating $1.1 billion in local wages and contributing $197 million in state tax revenue. The money goes straight into local economies like grocery stores, farmers markets, and food retailers. It helps sustain small businesses and local jobs.

If SNAP funding is slashed, the pain will ripple beyond the families who depend on it. It will also destabilize Main Street USA. Small grocers like Wright’s Market and those that serve food deserts will be hit hard. The loss of SNAP dollars could make it impossible for some locally owned stores to stay open, meaning those areas will lose vital community support and grocery jobs along with their access to healthy food.

Under the proposed plan, much of the cost to support SNAP would shift to states. Alabama—like so many other states in our country—is in no position to take on the additional cost. “Just don’t bankrupt us,” is what Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville said about the proposed SNAP changes. “Coach” clearly sees that Alabama can’t afford the cost-shifting plan being considered by Republicans in Congress. Likewise, Alabama families in need can’t afford to lose access to SNAP.

As a grocer, I ask our lawmakers in Congress to protect SNAP and the families that depend on it. I invite them to visit our store, meet our customers, and see how this program works in the real world. Cutting SNAP may look like a budget decision in Washington, but in America it will look like empty shelves, empty stomachs, and struggling businesses.

I urge our lawmakers in Congress to reexamine these potentially catastrophic alterations and consider the long-term consequences for families, communities, and local economies. Together, we can pursue fiscal responsibility without weakening the social and economic fabric of Main Street America.

Let’s work together to keep SNAP strong; our communities depend on it. I welcome the opportunity to engage with our elected officials from both parties, and with President Trump’s administration to discuss this issue.

Jimmy Wright is an independent grocer who owns Wright’s Market in Opelika.