Last week, our member Mary Beth Cochran from Canton, NC spoke at a press conference with Leader Jefferies and the full Democrat Caucus on the steps of the Capitol in Washington, DC about the imporance of Medicaid, SNAP, and Head Start for her family. Here is her story:

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I’m Mary Beth Cochran. I’m from Canton, North Carolina, where we’re still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene. 

I’m a proud member of MomsRising and a constituent of Rep. Chuck Edwards. I have custody of four of my grandchildren, ages 10, 12, 15, and 16, as their parents couldn’t care for them due to addiction. 

I’m here today to urge lawmakers to put families over billionaires and reject any cuts to the programs hardworking families like mine rely on. 

Caring for my grandkids is a joy, and I work hard to make sure they have everything they need. But I’m on a fixed income, and it’s never been easy. I work part-time, making $8/hour to supplement my partial disability benefits. My family is barely making it. At times, I’ve had to skip refilling my prescriptions so my grandkids wouldn’t have to skip meals. 

Right now, I’m terrified, because Republican leaders seem poised to take critical resources away from my family.

The House is voting today on a budget resolution that would gut programs like SNAP – but without SNAP, I wouldn’t be able to put food on the table. With the rising cost of food, we’re struggling enough as it is. 

They’re trying to slash Medicaid, which is the only reason my grandkids see a doctor, including my youngest who has ADHD and autism. 

I’ve even heard Head Start is under threat. Head Start helped my grandkids come out of their shells while preparing them for kindergarten.

Any cuts to these programs would be devastating. They would mean kids go hungry and their education would suffer. Our overall economy would be harmed. 

I don’t understand why any lawmaker would threaten programs that enable families to survive – but it’s appalling to know Republicans want to slash these programs so they can cut taxes for billionaires and corporations. Instead, I want lawmakers to permanently expand the Child Tax Credit so our nation’s kids can thrive. 

Families like mine are counting on Congress to put the needs of our children above the interests of the ultra-rich by voting no on the budget resolution. Thank you.

Mary Beth also recorded social media videos with Rep. Ross and the Democratic Women’s Caucus. You can also watch her speak here: https://x.com/RepJeffries/status/1894483321016500471

Do you have a Medicaid or SNAP story? We want to hear from you! Tell us your Medicaid or SNAP experience.