'We Have No Details,' Says Food Program Director As Trump's 'MAHA Boxes' Threaten 730,000 Seniors' Grocery Lifeline

Lack of communication and abrupt changes from President Donald Trump's administration have made it difficult to prepare for the rollout of the Make America Healthy Again food box initiative, according to George Matysik, executive director of Share Food Program.

“We have no details [about logistics of the MAHA food boxes], and this has been a continued challenge that we’ve had with this administration, where decisions are sort of made overnight,” said Matysik, in comments reported by CBS MoneyWatch on May 7. He added that ongoing uncertainty is making it harder for food organizations to plan ahead.

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The 2026 budget proposal would eliminate the $425 million Commodity Supplemental Food Program, replacing it with "MAHA boxes" sourced directly from U.S. farmers, potentially impacting over 730,000 seniors' grocery lifeline.

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MAHA Boxes To Replace Shelf-Stable Support

"The boxes contain wholesome foods from domestic farms, and similar to the Farmers to Families Food Box, fresh foods," the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in an email to CBS MoneyWatch, adding that the MAHA initiative could "supplant or complement" existing programs.

According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the USDA awarded nearly $3 billion in contracts through the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. The program successfully delivered over 176 million food boxes to individuals and families in need across the country, relying on more than 200 contractors to distribute the boxes during the pandemic.

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Food Programs Already Feeling The Strain

The Share Food Program has provided 32-pound food boxes to more than 300,000 children and over 4,000 seniors in Philadelphia, many of whom earn less than $23,000 a year.

According to CBS MoneyWatch, Matysik challenged the Trump administration's claim that current food bank offerings are nutritionally inadequate, explaining that their boxes contain lean proteins, pasta, and canned vegetables suitable for seniors—many of whom struggle with grocery access.

He expressed concern that MAHA's emphasis on fresh, perishable food might not meet the needs of seniors who depend on shelf-stable staples. Matysik also emphasized the logistical difficulties of getting fresh produce from farms to doorsteps without dedicated infrastructure.

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Funding Cuts and Ripple Effects

The MAHA proposal arrives amid broader reductions in federal nutrition aid. In March, the Trump administration redirected $1 billion in school and food bank funding toward sourcing from local producers, according to Politico.

The impact has already been felt. On April 13, CT Insider reported that Connecticut Foodshare CEO Jason Jakubowski said that 34 federal food shipments were canceled without explanation, disrupting supplies to over 600 food banks statewide.

In April, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins expressed support for Arkansas’ proposal to restrict Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program purchases of soda and candy, aligning with the MAHA initiative’s focus on improving nutrition. 

Separately, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last month announced plans to phase out synthetic food dyes from the U.S. food supply, as part of broader efforts to enhance dietary health.

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