Elizabeth Lower-Basch: Closing the Gap to Nutrition for Families

Growing up in a diverse community in Manhattan, USDA Equity Commission's Elizabeth Lower-Basch understood the importance of civil rights, unions, and equity at a young age. Inspired by her upbringing, Lower-Basch went on to earn a master's degree in public policy and began her career with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

At HHS, Lower-Basch worked on cash assistance and learned more about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the impact it has on millions of people. Lower-Basch's desire to expand equitable access to food assistance for all who needed it grew from her experience working on SNAP and assisting children, seniors, and working people struggling to put food on the table.

Following her time at HHS, Lower-Basch went to the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) where she currently serves as the Deputy Executive Director for Policy. CLASP works to develop and implement federal, state, and local policies that improve the lives of those in need. In her role, Lower-Basch provides leadership, strategic guidance, and support for the organization's policy and advocacy agenda.

Her work at HHS and CLASP has directly informed her contributions on the Equity Commission where she brought forward recommendations on how USDA can improve its efforts to reduce poverty and promote food and nutrition security.

"I'm happy to represent those who cannot afford - or have the capacity to - take on volunteer opportunities such as this [Equity Commission], and to tell their story and advocate for their wellbeing and food security," she said.

The four nutrition-focused recommendations Lower-Basch introduced were shaped by her experience with the community partnership group at CLASP where she heard firsthand how limited or lack of access to programs and services can impact families.

In the recommendations, the Equity Commissions asks USDA to continue to encourage state SNAP agencies to administer SNAP in a way that treats applicants and participants with dignity and respect and to consult with those with lived experience of poverty as they administer the programs and provide technical assistance on how to do so. In addition, the Equity Commission recommends the review and update of the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP), which forms the basis of SNAP benefits, to reflect the needs of today's consumers and supporting legislative action to remove eligibility restrictions on SNAP that disproportionately limit access to nutrition supports by Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC).

"It was important for us to ensure the recommendations were informed by real people with lived experience, not just academia, so that they are actionable and impactful," Lower-Basch explained.

Nutrition programs are especially important during the summer when school is out, and childhood food insecurity is highest. USDA is taking action to address this through its Summer Nutrition Programs, or SUN programs. New for summer 2024, SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT, is providing $120 in grocery benefits for eligible kids for the summer. SUN Meals and SUN Meals To-Go are also providing expanded options for kids to get meals at schools, parks and other locations. The expansion of summer benefits and nutrition support is proven to reduce child hunger in the summer by 33% while improving children's diets.

In addition, USDA has made updates to the WIC food program, increased SNAP benefits, improved the nutrition of school meals, expanded access to school meals at no cost to families, and more. All of these actions further the goal of equitable nutrition assistance for those in need, a pillar focus in the Commission's Final Report.

Since the release of the Equity Commission's Final Report with 66 recommendations, USDA has been partnering with the Commission Members to host Regional Convenings across the country to engage stakeholders in meaningful conversations on agriculture and equity issues as well as opportunities that exist in their region and how USDA can be of service.

"These convenings showcase how interconnected we all are and how much USDA does - and can do - for our communities," Lower-Basch said. "Equity means everyone has a chance. We have an obligation to be pro-active rather than neutral in extending opportunities and supports."

"It's not just the big policy or recommendation that's important, it's the details that matter too," Lower-Basch concluded. "The equity journey includes making sure steps are being taken to implement the recommendations and policies so that all customers of USDA receive a fair shot at a prosperous, successful life."

The Equity Commission Final Report is available in both English (PDF, 2.0 MB) and Spanish (PDF, 1.7 MB).