Federal cuts threaten Merced residents’ ability to eat and simply survive | Opinion
For much of my adult life, I’ve relied on state and federal safety net programs. In my 20s and early 30s, I didn’t think much about the 50-to-60-hour work weeks or that I was quietly accumulating debt just to make ends meet. I rarely needed medical care and assumed I could get by on my own. But when Medi-Cal covered the safe birth of my daughter in 2015, I began to understand the importance of programs I had once overlooked.
That understanding deepened in 2018, when I found myself unemployed. It was one of the most frightening periods of my life. I did odd jobs and we managed to scrape by, but no matter how much I worked, it simply wasn’t enough. We sank deeper into debt, and the stress of that time still echoes in our lives today.
In 2021, Medi-Cal once again became our lifeline, covering a complicated pregnancy and the eventual loss of a child six months into the pregnancy. While that grief still lives with us, it wasn’t compounded by crushing medical debt. We were allowed to mourn without being buried by the cost.
Looking back, I’m struck by how little our closest friends and family knew about what we were going through. We carried the weight quietly, like so many others do.
Programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) weren’t luxuries, they were lifelines. They gave us just enough stability to hold on. And because of that support, we were able to stay afloat long enough to survive.
I wouldn’t be where I am today without it. These are not abstract issues. They are lived experiences for so many in our community.
Today, I serve as the CEO of United Way of Merced County. Every day, I carry those memories with me. They remind me that leadership isn’t about talking points. It’s about people.
Right now, people in Merced County are scared: They worry how they will afford groceries next week; they fear that one trip to the emergency room could leave them bankrupt. Every day, our 211 call center (a free helpline connecting people with health and human services) hears from families who are doing everything right and still falling behind.
Currently, the top needs in Merced County are housing, food and utilities — basic necessities that no one should have to fight for. And now, proposed cuts to federal and state programs — like SNAP and WIC — threaten people’s ability to survive. When a family can’t keep the lights on or put food on the table, it’s not a political issue. It’s a crisis of dignity, and one we cannot afford to ignore.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” is being touted as a path to balance. But let’s be clear: If balance means cutting SNAP, Medi-Cal and the Child Tax Credit, we are not balancing a budget. We’re balancing pain on the backs of those already struggling.
In Merced County, over 150,000 residents rely on Medi-Cal, and over 45,000 receive help through SNAP. We cannot let political games come at the cost of our community. We cannot let choosing sides become more important than choosing humanity.
At United Way, our mission is to fight for the health, education and financial stability of every person in our community — especially those without access or support no matter the party affiliation. This “Big Beautiful Bill” could bring legitimate harm to the people of Merced County, and we need to call that out.
We must demand a better path forward — one rooted in compassion and reason. Contact your representatives. Tell them your neighbors matter. If you’ve ever needed help or had to choose between rent and food, you understand. And if you haven’t, imagine losing the only lifeline keeping your family afloat. We all deserve better.