Gov. Evers Delivers Weekly Radio Address on Restoring FoodShare Funding for Nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites

Audio File of Radio Address.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered his weekly radio address about restoring FoodShare payments for nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites, including nearly 270,000 kids, who depend on them for food and basic groceries. Gov. Evers has spent weeks sparring with the Trump Administration, urging President Donald Trump and his administration to use readily available federal funding and levers to prevent millions of Americans from losing food assistance due to the federal government shutdown.

Last week, consistent with a federal court order, the Evers Administration worked quickly to get payments out to more than 330,000 Wisconsin households that depend on the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known as FoodShare in Wisconsin.

Over the weekend, the Trump Administration sent correspondence suggesting Wisconsin should return FoodShare payments to the federal government. The correspondence drew a strong rebuke from Gov. Evers, who responded: “No.” At this time, even as litigation and lawsuits on this issue continue, full November FoodShare benefits continue to be available on all QUEST cards.

Any Wisconsinite who needs additional food or infant formula for their house or family can reach out to 211 for information and referrals to local services. Anyone can use 211 to get help by:

• Dialing 211 or 877-947-2211.
• Visiting their website at 211wisconsin.org. Through the website, people can search for services or chat with someone online who can help.
• Texting their ZIP code to 898211.

Hello. Governor Tony Evers here.

Folks, empty cupboards and stomachs are not abstract outcomes. They are the very real consequences of the dysfunction in Washington, D.C.

The Trump Administration has had repeated opportunities to do the right thing and make sure families didn’t go hungry during Republicans’ reckless federal government shutdown, but they’ve refused.

Thankfully, the courts ordered the Trump Administration to stop messing around and use available federal resources so millions of folks across the country could have food to eat.

Here in Wisconsin, we followed that court order and worked quickly to get payments out to 700,000 Wisconsinites who rely on FoodShare, including about 270,000 kids.

Now, President Trump wants his money back. He’s making a last-ditch effort to yank food out of the hands of nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites, and that includes 270,000 hungry kids. It is pathetic.

And frankly, it’s embarrassing. It’s shameful to try to take away food from kids, families, and seniors. Period.

It’s especially foolish for the Trump Administration to try to do so when they know they have an obligation to fund this program and at the level the court ordered them to.

We cannot and will not sit around and wait for the Trump Administration to come take away food from our hungry kids, families, and seniors in this state.

And let me be clear—if the Trump Administration continues to try to mess with kids, families, and seniors across our state who need access to basic food and groceries, I promise you this—we’ll fight against it with every tool and every power we have.

Here in Wisconsin, we care about each other, and we take care of our neighbors. Thank you.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.