Cambridge Allocates $500,000 for Benefits Assistance to Combat Cuts to SNAP, MassHealth

The Cambridge City Council allocated $500,000 to help residents stay enrolled in food and health benefit programs after federal cuts left residents struggling to find resources and eligibility for federally funded benefits shifted.

The funding is meant to help Cambridge residents navigate new eligibility rules and paperwork requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and MassHealth, after a federal budget package passed last summer cut funding for both programs and tightened eligibility requirements.

The funding will specifically used for translating application materials, training for nonprofit leaders to assist residents seeking access to the programs, and case management — including application assistance and referrals, according to City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05.

The appropriation, passed through the City Council on Monday, is the city’s second stopgap measure after the sweeping legislation slashed federal funds for both SNAP and MassHealth. Last November, when a federal government shutdown jeopardized both programs, Cambridge and partner organizations provided $500,000 in emergency gift cards and additional food pantry funding to eligible residents.

Since last July, SNAP enrollment in Cambridge has fallen by nearly 15 percent — a dropoff of about $2.95 million in annualized federal SNAP dollars that city households are no longer able to spend on food, according to the report.

In a report to the City Council prior to Monday’s meeting, Huang said that the allocation was prompted by increased need among residents, following the federal cuts that began last July.

“The goal is to ensure that households are supported through these federal changes and that we support all eligible people to keep their benefits, especially as state and federal systems become strained and more difficult to navigate,” he wrote.

Seventy percent of SNAP application denials in Cambridge were due to procedural reasons, according to data presented by the City Manager’s office at an early September meeting. In a letter to the Council on Monday, Huang wrote that the city’s goal is to mitigate the loss of coverage by helping residents navigate the new application requirements.

“Many of these cases of lost coverage are due to denials based on procedural issues, such as missing documents or missed appointments, rather than actual ineligibility,” Huang wrote.

The City, the Cambridge Community Foundation, and the Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee proposed a partnership model in which resources for application assistance, outreach, and training will be distributed across citywide organizations. More than 30 organizations convened last Tuesday to coordinate the proposed partnership model as the city anticipates growing demand for assistance through next year, according to Huang.

The funds will come from the Federal Grant Stabilization Fund, established in June 2025, which currently has more than $3 million. Previous allocations from the fund have included $1 million for municipal housing vouchers, $250,000 for food insecurity, and $625,000 for services for crime victims and survivors.

City Councilor Timothy R. Flaherty questioned whether the allocation would be enough during Monday’s City Council meeting.

“Is $500,000 enough?” he asked. “Do we have the boots on the ground to actually make sure people are properly and correctly applying to make certain those federal dollars come back to Cambridge so we can alleviate that burden?”

Huang said that the city would seek additional funding if demand for the program outpaces the capacity of its caseworkers.

“This is a starting point,” he said.

—Staff writer Risha Sinha can be reached at [email protected].

—Staff writer Maya Fu can be reached at [email protected].