Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
For tens of millions of Americans, hunger is a chronic problem with many serious consequences. This is particularly true for children and mothers—hunger impedes healthy growth and development, is a significant predictor of serious health problems, and is associated with behavioral and emotional problems among preschoolers and school-age children. Many senior citizens also grapple with the harmful effects of food insecurity.
One of the nation’s signature programs to help reduce and end hunger in the United States is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly the Food Stamp Program.) Over the last 30 years, SNAP benefits have become a crucial support for the neediest Americans, and the lifeline for millions of low-income children. Every month, more than 37 million beneficiaries receive assistance to purchase healthy food. However, this number only represents a fraction of those in need.
SNAP and the Nation as a Whole
Paired with unemployment insurance, SNAP is a vital part of America’s front-line defense against recession. They help feed families who fall into poverty due to unemployment or underemployment, provide temporary support until these families can get back on their feet, and quickly get federal support into local communities when times are tough.
SNAP benefits not only helps individuals and families in need, it also helps support the economy as a whole. The USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) estimates that each $1 billion of retail demand created by SNAP generates $340 million in farm production, $110 million in farm value-added, and 3,300 farm jobs.
SNAP benefits are also a vital component of disaster-recovery efforts. When communities are struck by disaster, SNAP provides vital emergency food resources and helps stimulate economic and physical recovery.
Challenges to SNAP
Generally, SNAP participation rates follow economic cycles: in a strong economy, demand for the program diminishes, while demand increases in times of economic hardship. Even in a sluggish economy, however, it can be difficult to reach families and individuals who could benefit from SNAP. Too often, those in need turn to food banks, pantries, and shelters for assistance rather than enrolling in SNAP. There are a number of reasons why food insecure people don’t turn more often to SNAP:
Accessibility of SNAP benefits
For many people, simply applying for SNAP can be daunting. SNAP applications can be prohibitively and unnecessarily long, and the application process can require multiple office visits. Additionally, the process to renew eligibility can add a layer of red tape for those who need ongoing assistance. SNAP offices don’t always offer extended business hours, making it difficult for people to apply for and maintain their benefits.
The Stigma of SNAP and Misinformation about the Program
Questions about income limitations, asset tests, and where individuals should go to receive benefits can also keep potential beneficiaries from applying. This is especially true of low-income senior citizens, who often misunderstand eligibility guidelines and end up making difficult choices between buying food or medicine, when SNAP could make their choices easier. According to Hunger in America 2006, only about 36 percent of the low-income households we serve actually participate in SNAP despite the likelihood that many of those clients are actually eligible. Overall, about 42 percent of the households we serve who had not applied for SNAP benefits did not do so because they believed they were ineligible or eligible for only a low benefit amount. In addition, studies suggest that large numbers of individuals who would be eligible for SNAP do not apply because of the perceived social stigma of using the program. Our study confirmed that notion, as 7.4 percent of households we serve did not apply for the program because they associated a social stigma with SNAP.
SNAP also faces significant legislative and regulatory challenges. Changes to SNAP that reduce eligibility or benefits put even more people at risk of hunger. SNAP cannot be adequately replaced by food banks and other private charities that are already struggling to meet growing demands. Additionally, local communities facing tough economic circumstances will find it difficult to cover the gap any SNAP eligibility or benefit reductions would create. Despite recent benefit increases to SNAP benefits in response to the economic recession, record participation in the program is putting a significant strain on state and federal resources.
Policy Recommendations to Strengthen SNAP
To overcome the problems of accessibility, misinformation, and social stigma, as well as other regulatory and administrative challenges that hinder the program, local, state, and federal governments should:
- Improve governmental outreach efforts, especially those focusing on populations underserved by the program (e.g., immigrants, older Americans) who are often unaware of or misinformed about their eligibility. Nonprofit organizations can supplement these efforts by developing innovative access and enrollment programs.
- Improve customer service and accessibility and streamline the application process so that there are as few barriers to participation as possible. Governments should cut red tape, expand office hours, locate offices in sites that are accessible by public transportation or provide transportation vouchers, and focus on improved customer service.
- States should take advantage of all the options they have under federal law to simplify the program, making it easier for low-income households to apply and secure benefits through this cornerstone anti-hunger program.
- Support innovative outreach activities by partnering with food banks to increase enrollment in the program and to better identify barriers to program access.
More Resources
Learn more about SNAP with the SNAP Fact Sheet .