Ben Chrisinger
@bchrisinger.bsky.social
Assistant Professor in Community Health at Tufts, formerly faculty @ DSPI Oxford. I study place and health, especially food and welfare. #SNAPmatters
https://facultyprofiles.tufts.edu/benjamin-chrisinger
https://facultyprofiles.tufts.edu/benjamin-chrisinger
SNAP wonks: help me figure this out!
AL is telling folks reduced SNAP amounts are because of a "change in the Thrifty Food Plan" (see link).
TFP is a GOP target (sets SNAP benefit amts) & "Big Beautiful Bill" limited how often it can be updated...
dhr.alabama.gov/november-sna...
#econsky 🛟 🥗
AL is telling folks reduced SNAP amounts are because of a "change in the Thrifty Food Plan" (see link).
TFP is a GOP target (sets SNAP benefit amts) & "Big Beautiful Bill" limited how often it can be updated...
dhr.alabama.gov/november-sna...
#econsky 🛟 🥗
November 12, 2025 at 10:26 PM
SNAP wonks: help me figure this out!
AL is telling folks reduced SNAP amounts are because of a "change in the Thrifty Food Plan" (see link).
TFP is a GOP target (sets SNAP benefit amts) & "Big Beautiful Bill" limited how often it can be updated...
dhr.alabama.gov/november-sna...
#econsky 🛟 🥗
AL is telling folks reduced SNAP amounts are because of a "change in the Thrifty Food Plan" (see link).
TFP is a GOP target (sets SNAP benefit amts) & "Big Beautiful Bill" limited how often it can be updated...
dhr.alabama.gov/november-sna...
#econsky 🛟 🥗
At the risk of being redundant... I've added shading here to show which states are providing any assistance in lieu of federal SNAP benefits (from: apnews.com/article/shut...)
Picture is still pretty bleak, with most recipients only getting state relieve via food banks. 🥗 🛟
Picture is still pretty bleak, with most recipients only getting state relieve via food banks. 🥗 🛟
November 6, 2025 at 4:43 PM
At the risk of being redundant... I've added shading here to show which states are providing any assistance in lieu of federal SNAP benefits (from: apnews.com/article/shut...)
Picture is still pretty bleak, with most recipients only getting state relieve via food banks. 🥗 🛟
Picture is still pretty bleak, with most recipients only getting state relieve via food banks. 🥗 🛟
Update: today, 16.8 million people should have *full* SNAP benefits for November. They don't.
Most states don't issue SNAP all at once. Some distribute SNAP up to the 28th day.
This masks the scale of the problem: 42 million worrying about hunger in the richest country on earth.
🛟 🥗 🩺📊 #econsky
Most states don't issue SNAP all at once. Some distribute SNAP up to the 28th day.
This masks the scale of the problem: 42 million worrying about hunger in the richest country on earth.
🛟 🥗 🩺📊 #econsky
November 6, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Update: today, 16.8 million people should have *full* SNAP benefits for November. They don't.
Most states don't issue SNAP all at once. Some distribute SNAP up to the 28th day.
This masks the scale of the problem: 42 million worrying about hunger in the richest country on earth.
🛟 🥗 🩺📊 #econsky
Most states don't issue SNAP all at once. Some distribute SNAP up to the 28th day.
This masks the scale of the problem: 42 million worrying about hunger in the richest country on earth.
🛟 🥗 🩺📊 #econsky
By today, nearly 11 million SNAP participants should have received *full* benefits for November. They haven't.
By Friday, this jumps to about 20 million.
(estimated using state participation data and issuance schedules from USDA FNS)
🥗 🛟 🩺📊 #econsky
By Friday, this jumps to about 20 million.
(estimated using state participation data and issuance schedules from USDA FNS)
🥗 🛟 🩺📊 #econsky
November 4, 2025 at 8:21 PM
By today, nearly 11 million SNAP participants should have received *full* benefits for November. They haven't.
By Friday, this jumps to about 20 million.
(estimated using state participation data and issuance schedules from USDA FNS)
🥗 🛟 🩺📊 #econsky
By Friday, this jumps to about 20 million.
(estimated using state participation data and issuance schedules from USDA FNS)
🥗 🛟 🩺📊 #econsky
Some context on the escalating crisis of withheld SNAP benefits. I did some rough estimates of how many participants in each state are currently missing November SNAP.
By today, ~8 million participants should have received SNAP. By tomorrow, ~11 million.
Gets worse by the day.
🛟 🥗
By today, ~8 million participants should have received SNAP. By tomorrow, ~11 million.
Gets worse by the day.
🛟 🥗
November 3, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Some context on the escalating crisis of withheld SNAP benefits. I did some rough estimates of how many participants in each state are currently missing November SNAP.
By today, ~8 million participants should have received SNAP. By tomorrow, ~11 million.
Gets worse by the day.
🛟 🥗
By today, ~8 million participants should have received SNAP. By tomorrow, ~11 million.
Gets worse by the day.
🛟 🥗
November 1, 2025 at 9:35 PM
SNAP boosts households' average monthly income by 31%.
For households with kids, it's 42%.
SNAP prevents food insecurity, but it also enables households use scarce non-SNAP resources for other things... rent, utilities, diapers, school supplies...
from: www.fns.usda.gov/data-researc...
🥗 🛟
For households with kids, it's 42%.
SNAP prevents food insecurity, but it also enables households use scarce non-SNAP resources for other things... rent, utilities, diapers, school supplies...
from: www.fns.usda.gov/data-researc...
🥗 🛟
October 31, 2025 at 12:11 PM
SNAP boosts households' average monthly income by 31%.
For households with kids, it's 42%.
SNAP prevents food insecurity, but it also enables households use scarce non-SNAP resources for other things... rent, utilities, diapers, school supplies...
from: www.fns.usda.gov/data-researc...
🥗 🛟
For households with kids, it's 42%.
SNAP prevents food insecurity, but it also enables households use scarce non-SNAP resources for other things... rent, utilities, diapers, school supplies...
from: www.fns.usda.gov/data-researc...
🥗 🛟
Chewbacca speaking truth to power
October 18, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Chewbacca speaking truth to power
This was my favorite dissertation paper. Hours and hours and hours and hours of data collection, analysis, interpretation, and writing, writing, writing.
LAME.
#academicsky
LAME.
#academicsky
July 12, 2025 at 11:56 PM
This was my favorite dissertation paper. Hours and hours and hours and hours of data collection, analysis, interpretation, and writing, writing, writing.
LAME.
#academicsky
LAME.
#academicsky
This is exhausting. I cannot keep up with this stuff and suspect no academic can. There’s no universal opt-out from AI when it comes to our written work.
Could a podcast be a “fun” way to engage with my paper? Maybe. Sure. Fine.
But freaking ask me first.
#academicsky
Could a podcast be a “fun” way to engage with my paper? Maybe. Sure. Fine.
But freaking ask me first.
#academicsky
May 30, 2025 at 10:35 AM
This is exhausting. I cannot keep up with this stuff and suspect no academic can. There’s no universal opt-out from AI when it comes to our written work.
Could a podcast be a “fun” way to engage with my paper? Maybe. Sure. Fine.
But freaking ask me first.
#academicsky
Could a podcast be a “fun” way to engage with my paper? Maybe. Sure. Fine.
But freaking ask me first.
#academicsky
I’m mostly aware of conspiracy theories because they are shoved in between the photos of friends’ babies and dogs.
It wasn’t always and doesn’t have to be this way 😞
It wasn’t always and doesn’t have to be this way 😞
May 29, 2025 at 12:45 AM
I’m mostly aware of conspiracy theories because they are shoved in between the photos of friends’ babies and dogs.
It wasn’t always and doesn’t have to be this way 😞
It wasn’t always and doesn’t have to be this way 😞
Most #FoodAsMedicine folks I work with would also find this ad concerning.
Still, it’s part of a broader MAHA vibe we can’t ignore. It’s tailor-made for social media content, ads, and influencers.
It also sets up a real trap for health disparities work. Note the latent blame here.
🛟 🥗
Still, it’s part of a broader MAHA vibe we can’t ignore. It’s tailor-made for social media content, ads, and influencers.
It also sets up a real trap for health disparities work. Note the latent blame here.
🛟 🥗
May 27, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Most #FoodAsMedicine folks I work with would also find this ad concerning.
Still, it’s part of a broader MAHA vibe we can’t ignore. It’s tailor-made for social media content, ads, and influencers.
It also sets up a real trap for health disparities work. Note the latent blame here.
🛟 🥗
Still, it’s part of a broader MAHA vibe we can’t ignore. It’s tailor-made for social media content, ads, and influencers.
It also sets up a real trap for health disparities work. Note the latent blame here.
🛟 🥗
Yes, it’s a tough time for #PublicHealth.
But if our Community Health graduates are any indication, there’s still so much energy, passion, and hope to make a healthier, more equitable world.
Can’t wait to see what these students will do!
#academicsky #edusky
But if our Community Health graduates are any indication, there’s still so much energy, passion, and hope to make a healthier, more equitable world.
Can’t wait to see what these students will do!
#academicsky #edusky
May 16, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Yes, it’s a tough time for #PublicHealth.
But if our Community Health graduates are any indication, there’s still so much energy, passion, and hope to make a healthier, more equitable world.
Can’t wait to see what these students will do!
#academicsky #edusky
But if our Community Health graduates are any indication, there’s still so much energy, passion, and hope to make a healthier, more equitable world.
Can’t wait to see what these students will do!
#academicsky #edusky
Attention: the people have spoken and they’d like a ramp.
May 13, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Attention: the people have spoken and they’d like a ramp.
Freeing up our time to “do the important, creative work”, they said.
Maybe also so we could watch more ads?
#academicsky
Maybe also so we could watch more ads?
#academicsky
May 7, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Freeing up our time to “do the important, creative work”, they said.
Maybe also so we could watch more ads?
#academicsky
Maybe also so we could watch more ads?
#academicsky
This is one of the first pop-ups about AI I’ve encountered (here, as a reviewer). Glad to see some journals drawing a line and clearly identifying it for users.
The absence of these in all sorts of academic portals (papers, grants, fellowships, etc) is still really concerning to me.
#academicsky
The absence of these in all sorts of academic portals (papers, grants, fellowships, etc) is still really concerning to me.
#academicsky
March 13, 2025 at 1:11 PM
This is one of the first pop-ups about AI I’ve encountered (here, as a reviewer). Glad to see some journals drawing a line and clearly identifying it for users.
The absence of these in all sorts of academic portals (papers, grants, fellowships, etc) is still really concerning to me.
#academicsky
The absence of these in all sorts of academic portals (papers, grants, fellowships, etc) is still really concerning to me.
#academicsky
January 28, 2025 at 5:08 PM
“Some people are saying” >> “And this was the investment we wanted to make”
Good grief.
Good grief.
January 21, 2025 at 12:31 PM
“Some people are saying” >> “And this was the investment we wanted to make”
Good grief.
Good grief.
Whiteboard ephemera during finals week 🦦🦦
(With apologies to CS colleagues)
(With apologies to CS colleagues)
December 16, 2024 at 7:48 PM
Whiteboard ephemera during finals week 🦦🦦
(With apologies to CS colleagues)
(With apologies to CS colleagues)
Right, as if you’re ever asked.
Honestly at this point I’m just declining because I resent how this “opt-in” program is administered as the default.
Honestly at this point I’m just declining because I resent how this “opt-in” program is administered as the default.
December 11, 2024 at 1:58 PM
Right, as if you’re ever asked.
Honestly at this point I’m just declining because I resent how this “opt-in” program is administered as the default.
Honestly at this point I’m just declining because I resent how this “opt-in” program is administered as the default.
Wrapped up “Built Environment & Community Health” today by rating the different topics we covered… biggest opportunities, threats, etc.
That pink cluster - “biggest threat” votes - is climate change.
Sobering.
#publichealth #academicsky #edusky
That pink cluster - “biggest threat” votes - is climate change.
Sobering.
#publichealth #academicsky #edusky
December 10, 2024 at 6:30 PM
Wrapped up “Built Environment & Community Health” today by rating the different topics we covered… biggest opportunities, threats, etc.
That pink cluster - “biggest threat” votes - is climate change.
Sobering.
#publichealth #academicsky #edusky
That pink cluster - “biggest threat” votes - is climate change.
Sobering.
#publichealth #academicsky #edusky