Published May 14, 2025
Gina Plata-Nino, JD, Deputy Director of SNAP at FRAC, and Anna Albi, Cincinnati City Councilmember
This article is part of a series examining the sweeping and often overlooked consequences of proposed SNAP cuts. The article discusses the powerful connection between food insecurity and community violence, and how proposed SNAP cuts could disrupt innovative local efforts to stabilize families and neighborhoods.
What Motivated You to Serve in Local Government?
I ran for Cincinnati City Council in 2023 and took office on January 2, 2024. My initial focus was on reducing violence — particularly gun violence — in our community. But as I began meeting with residents, nearly every conversation around safety eventually turned to food. People told me, “Our kids are hungry,” or “We don’t have a grocery store.” That connection between food insecurity and community safety really hit home.
We eventually connected with a researcher at Tulane University who had found a clear correlation between food insecurity and gun violence. Their hospital-based violence intervention program started screening patients with gunshot wounds and found one of the strongest indicators was food insecurity in their neighborhood. That research affirmed what we were hearing on the ground and shaped how we approach violence prevention in Cincinnati.
Can You Explain More About the Link Between Food and Violence?
Absolutely. I first heard about this connection from anti-violence advocate Erica Ford, who was visiting Cincinnati. She described how part of their strategy in New York involved feeding individuals most at risk for gun violence. Having enough food impacts how your brain processes information and handles stress.
That insight stuck with me. When I took office, we began digging into the data. At our own hospital-based violence intervention program, we’re seeing that more than 60 percent of patients with gunshot injuries are also screening positive for food insecurity. The two top needs cited are access to housing and access to food.
How Do Budget Constraints and Federal Funds Impact Your City’s Ability to Respond?
We’re entering our first budget cycle without ARPA [American Rescue Plan Act] dollars, which had helped us not only stay balanced but also fund innovative programs. Through those funds, we launched our financial freedom blueprint, which includes medical debt relief and child savings accounts.
We’ve also been preparing to pilot a grocery assistance project in one of our hardest-hit neighborhoods — where more than 50 percent of residents are on SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] and over 60 percent report food insecurity. It’s also one of our neighborhoods with the highest gun violence rates. Public transportation to a grocery store can take over an hour, so we’re partnering with a grocery vendor to deliver food directly to people’s homes. We’ll also be providing a $100 monthly credit on top of their SNAP benefits to help make sure families can truly access nutritious food and daily necessities.
What Are Your Concerns About Proposed Cuts to SNAP?
I’m deeply worried. In Cincinnati, 21.5 percent of adults are food insecure — roughly one in five kids. In some neighborhoods, that number is more than double. One neighborhood we’re focusing on has a food insecurity rate of 60 percent. If SNAP is cut, these families won’t just feel a pinch — they’ll face a full-blown crisis.
SNAP is about helping kids grow, develop, and succeed. Hungry kids can’t learn or thrive. Families will be forced to make impossible choices between food, rent, child care, and utilities. SNAP cuts aren’t isolated — they cascade into housing instability, increased reliance on emergency services, and deepened economic strain across the board.
We’re trying to stabilize families and neighborhoods. SNAP helps us do that. If those benefits are reduced, we’ll see increased violence, more stress on public resources, and fewer pathways to community well-being.
Final Thoughts?
As we prepare our budget without ARPA dollars, we’re seeing how critical every federal investment is. Programs like SNAP are not optional — they’re foundational. Cuts to food assistance may seem like a budgetary decision on paper, but on the ground, it translates to hunger, instability, and missed opportunities for progress. We need Congress to understand the real-world impact these decisions have on communities like Cincinnati.
