Storyteller Cindy from Baltimore, MD joined us to share her story during a day of action on Capitol Hill. As Republican Senate leaders rushed to vote on the Big Bad BEEtrayal Bill before the Fourth of July, we moved quickly to create a buzz that couldn’t be ignored and bring the voices, experiences, and stories of moms, parents, families, and caregivers to the Hill. She shared her story with 100+ attendees and then helped deliver storybooks to all Republican Senate offices.

Good morning! My name is Cindy Camp, and I live in Baltimore. I’m a mother, a grandmother, a family caregiver, and a proud member of MomsRising.

I’m here today to send a clear message to our nation’s Senators: Families are counting on you to vote NO on any bill that slashes SNAP to pay for tax breaks for billionaires. The cuts in the Republican budget bill would be devastating for millions of families, including my own. 

We are not numbers. Everyone who depends on SNAP has a story. Here’s a glimpse of mine: For the past seven years, I’ve stepped up as a sandwich generation caregiver for my family. My brother, Leon Wallace, is disabled and homebound. He needs support with his daily needs. For a long time, my mother provided that care, but now she is nearly 90 and needs care herself. So I care for both of them. 

At the same time, my daughter is struggling with her mental health. So I’m also caring for my three grandkids, ages 7, 9, and 13. They are living with me while their mom seeks treatment. My grandkids are a blessing, and I’m proud to step up for them.

My family will always come first. For a while, I couldn’t work because of my family's caregiving responsibilities. During that time, I relied on SNAP to buy groceries. Without SNAP, I don’t know how we would have survived. 

If you’ve ever tried to grocery shop for three growing kids, you know it’s expensive, especially now, as costs continue to skyrocket. Making sure everyone in my household gets three meals a day is a huge challenge. 

I’m terrified for my family each time I read that Republicans are threatening to slash the SNAP benefits we rely on to put food on the table. I don’t know how we would make it if that happened. 

SNAP is our saving grace. My daughter receives $875/month in SNAP benefits for my grandkids. Without those funds, I have no idea how the kids would eat. Period. We already don’t make it through the month as it is. I’m already struggling to provide the fresh, healthy food I know they need to grow and thrive. I haven’t bought eggs in a long time. We rely on cheap, processed foods and lean on food banks to fill in the gaps. 

If Republicans succeed in gutting SNAP, that would be nothing short of a crisis for my family. That thought keeps me up at night. I’m having tough conversations with my grandkids, trying to prepare them for what cuts might mean for us. It breaks my heart to think any elected leader would let my grandkids go hungry so billionaires can get yet another tax break and greedy corporations can get even richer. Our kids' basic needs should matter more to lawmakers than whether Elon Musk can buy another private jet. 

It’s frustrating when politicians push a narrative that those of us who need SNAP are lazy or don’t want to work. That is out of touch with the reality families like mine are facing. It hurts those of us who can’t work, whether we are caring for family or dealing with a health crisis. Cutting SNAP or adding more burdensome work requirements will cause enormous harm to the most vulnerable members of our society, including children and the elderly. 

It’s hard enough to qualify for SNAP as it is. These  cuts would take critical resources away when they’re needed most. 

Now more than ever, we all need to speak out against this disastrous budget package and against any cuts to the programs families rely on. The budget bill is a big, bad betrayal of our families and our core values as a country. Every senator should vote NO. These programs are critical to feeding our families and strengthening our economy. They must be protected. And if I could just ask one more thing, it would be for everyone of you; to consider how you would feel?  if you couldn’t provide the basic needs for your loved ones.  I implore you to not ignore your conscience but to be courageous and vote no to these massive budget cuts. Thank you.