Food Stamps Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program SNAP Increasingly

Food Stamps: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• Increasingly a very large program—some 45 million Americans (about 20 million households) received assistance in 2011. • Averaged about 31 million a month in 2009. • Currently about one in eight Americans receive food stamps. • One in four children • U. S. citizens and some legal aliens are eligible—mostly children and elderly. • Open to almost all low-income families as long as they are citizens or in some cases legal aliens. Households may have no more than $2000 in assets; $3000 if a member of the household is elderly or disabled.

• Homes are exempt and vehicle rules vary by state. • The gross income of most households must be 130% or less of the poverty guidelines ($22, 113 plus 30% or $28, 747 for a family of 4 with two children in 2010). • Net income must be below poverty line for family. • Able-bodied must meet work requirements. • Must have social security number.

Snap Recipients and Costs

Food Stamp Enrollment

Historically Food Stamp Recipients Have Had No Earned Income • About 70% of households that received food stamps in 2010 had no earned income. • 21% received Supplemental Security Income • 21. 4% received Social Security • 8% received TANF • 20% had no cash income from any source • In recent years, a larger percentage of food stamp households have included one or more employed adults.

• Average value of benefit was about $294 per household per month in 2011. • Generally FS can only be used to purchase food. No alcohol, tobacco, soap, paper products, no medicine, no food to be eaten in stores, no hot food. • Benefits are credited monthly to an EBT card —a debit card.

Benefits are Modest

• All benefits received are credited to the EBT —including food stamps, TANF, veteran benefits, SSI. • In Texas it is called the Long Star Card.

• SNAP currently costs about $75 billion. • SNAP and other nutrition programs have make severe hunger increasing rare in America.

Food Insecurity