PENNSYLVANIA — Pennsylvania families are feeling the growing strain of higher grocery bills. Affordable Pennsylvania is urging Reps. Mackenzie, Bresnahan and Perry to recognize the reality of the impact their support of tariffs and the Republican Tax Law’s cuts to SNAP are having on their constituents.

Grocery prices have increased 8.2% in the state, compared to the national average of 5% and many Pennsylvanians continue to struggle with the cost of everyday necessities, like healthcare, childcare and gas. Pennsylvania has one of the highest rates of inflation for food costs among the 50 states. In Pennsylvania, one in 8 Pennsylvanians experience food insecurity.

"When school lets out, our grocery bill jumps by at least $100 a week. At a time when literally every single one of my bills is also going up, any supposed help isn't even scratching the surface - a dollar can only stretch so far when the cost of everything has nearly doubled in cost,” said Stephanie, a resident of Walnutport and mother of two children. “Rep. Mackenzie said he would work to lower costs, but grocery bills have only gotten worse. I have to constantly ration food so my family can eat. The local food pantry sees lines almost a half-mile long. The clothing closet where I volunteer to give out free clothing & hygiene supplies is constantly busy, giving out thousands of donated items a month that people just can't afford at the store. Normal, everyday items end up feeling like a "luxury" when you can get them on sale, and it feels like no one I know has enough to get by without living under constant stress just to survive. People are struggling. It's time our Congressman started working for the people he was elected to represent."

For families with children, summer means budgeting for 5 more days of meals per week than during the school year; just over a million children in Pennsylvania qualified for free and reduced school lunch in 2024-2025. Although the federal SUN Bucks program, also known as summer EBT, offers $120 per child to families who were eligible for free and reduced lunch, being a recipient of Medicaid and SNAP are qualifying factors, and data show that between the Republican Tax Law taking effect and March 2026, the number of SNAP enrollees in Pennsylvania has gone down by nearly 11%. The report goes on to say that “it’s very unlikely that reduced need is driving the decline in SNAP participation.”

"At a time when affordability is top of mind for Pennsylvanians already under pressure from price increases elsewhere, the sudden uptick in food needs over the summer for families is taking stress levels through the roof," said Rachele Fortier, Executive Director of Affordable Pennsylvania. "We believe that elected officials who have voted to cut food assistance programs and voted to support tariffs, including Reps. Mackenzie, Bresnahan, and Perry, owe it to their constituents to hear their stories about going hungry or underfed, just to make ends meet.”

For too long, Pennsylvania families have been struggling to stay afloat while their Washington representatives choose special interests over the fundamental needs of their neighbors. We call on Reps. Mackenzie, Bresnahan and Perry to end their focus on billionaire tax breaks and start serving the families who are overwhelmed by the rising cost of groceries. True accountability requires more than empty promises; it demands legislative action that offers genuine relief at the grocery store and ensures every Pennsylvanian can afford to live with the dignity they deserve.

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