TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas anti-hunger advocates are calling for immediate action as SNAP participation continues to drastically decline, putting more Kansans at risk of hunger and food insecurity. At the same time, families across the state are reporting delayed benefits, problems completing recertifications, and some benefits being terminated completely unexpectedly.
Nearly 7,000 Kansans lost SNAP in the most recent month alone. Since July 2025, more than 32,000 Kansans, including more than 14,000 children, have lost benefits. These problems arise as Kansas implements the sweeping SNAP changes required by H.R. 1, signed into law last year, including expanded work requirements and new eligibility rules that have dramatically increased the administrative burden on states.
“Beyond the dramatic drop in SNAP participation, we’re concerned about reports of families losing benefits simply because they were never notified about the steps needed to keep them,” said Josh Powers, Public Policy and Advocacy Strategist for Harvesters. “These are families who depend on this support to put food on the table for themselves and their children, and when that support disappears without warning or explanation, it creates real hardship for people who were otherwise doing exactly what they were required to.”
In FY 2025, Kansas had a SNAP payment error rate of 9.44%, creating significant financial pressure for the state to improve its accuracy. Under H.R. 1, states with higher payment error rates will, for the first time in SNAP’s history, be required to pay a portion of SNAP benefits—a change that could cost Kansas approximately $40 million annually at its current error rate.
“The nearly 7,000-person drop in the most recent month is by far the largest single-month decline we have seen since H.R. 1 was enacted, and it should raise serious questions about what is happening to vulnerable low-income families, seniors and disabled individuals across our state,” said Haley Kottler, Senior Campaign Director for Kansas Appleseed. “The paperwork requirements appear to be overwhelming not only for our neighbors who are struggling to feed their families, but DCF as well. We can not let red tape keep kids, seniors, and families from getting the critical nutrition they need.”
We are urging the Department for Children and Families (DCF) to take every available step to immediately address processing delays and ensure eligible Kansans receive the timely benefits they need to put food on the table. State and federal leaders must also ensure DCF has the resources and flexibility needed to implement H.R. 1 without eligible Kansans losing access to food assistance because of administrative delays.
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About Harvesters—The Community Food Network: Harvesters is a regional food bank and Feeding America network member founded in 1979, headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, with a distribution center in Lawrence, Kansas. Harvesters mobilizes the power of our community to create equitable access to nutritious food and address the root causes and impact of hunger. Harvesters serves a 27-county area in northwestern Missouri and northeastern Kansas, supplying a network of more than 900 community partner agencies—including emergency food pantries, community kitchens, and homeless shelters.
About Hunger Free Kansas: Hunger Free Kansas is a robust network of stakeholders and infrastructure dedicated to tackling the issue of food insecurity throughout the state. More than 1 in 7 Kansans are food insecure, with 1 in 5 Kansas children living in households that struggle to provide adequate food for family members, according to Feeding America. We believe this is a solvable issue, and Hunger Free Kansas aims to align efforts by developing public/private partnerships, creating systemic solutions, and collaborating with existing organizations addressing hunger.
About Kansas Action for Children: Kansas Action for Children’s mission is to shape health, education, and economic policy that will improve the lives of Kansas children and families. KAC works across the political spectrum to improve the lives of Kansas children through bipartisan advocacy, partnership, and information-sharing on key issues. We work with policymakers, local organizations, and fellow advocates to inform sound policy, foster collaboration, and promote an equitable tax system.
About Kansas Appleseed: Kansas Appleseed is a statewide organization that believes Kansans, working together, can build a state full of thriving, inclusive, and just communities. Kansas Appleseed conducts policy research and analysis and works with communities and partners to understand the root causes of problems and advocate for comprehensive solutions.
About Kansas Coalition for Common Sense: Kansas Coalition for Common Sense is an advocacy organization. Our team develops research-based messages to empower Kansas voters, advocates, and leaders in their fight to advance commonsense Kansas values. We assist our partners with critical communication services and training to grow our coalition and cultivate new leaders in every corner of the state.
About Kansas Farmers Union: Since 1907, Kansas Farmers Union has worked to protect and enhance the economic interests and quality of life for family farmers and ranchers and their communities. We believe family ownership of farmland is the basis for the world’s most viable system of food and fiber production. Maintaining this family farm system will preserve our natural and human resources as well as promote a strong economy and vibrant social structure. Kansas Farmers Union represents our members, who are engaged in diverse farming and ranching pursuits, through education, legislation, and cooperation.
About Kansas Food Action Network: The Kansas Food Action Network equips and mobilizes Kansas communities to drive food systems change from the ground up. By fostering connection, building knowledge, and advancing community-driven policy, we help Kansans build collective power to create food systems as unique and resilient as the people they serve.
About Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth: With a rich history and a compelling mission, the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth are a joyful and compassionate community of religious women who are committed to seeking God through service to all His people, especially those who are underserved and neglected.
About Topeka SENT: SENT Inc. is a grassroots 501(c)3 organization working with under-resourced communities in Topeka. Our mission is to intentionally walk beside neighbors through loving relationships and strategic development to accomplish the wholistic transformation of neighborhoods in Shawnee County.
About United Ways of Kansas: United Ways of Kansas is a statewide association of local United Ways working together to strengthen communities and improve lives across the state. By uniting resources, sharing proven practices, and advocating for change, the association helps its member United Ways drive greater impact than any one organization could achieve alone. Its work centers on four priorities: youth opportunity, financial security, healthy communities, and community resiliency. Through statewide initiatives including 211 Information and Referral, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, ALICE research, and public policy advocacy, United Ways of Kansas mobilizes communities across the state so that all Kansans can thrive.
