SNAP Supports Health and Boosts the Economy

Making the case for raising SNAP benefit levels in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Resources from the Field

• To see what hunger looks like in your community, visit this interactive map from Feeding America.
• To determine eligibility and learn how to apply for SNAP, visit USDA’s website.

The Issue

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government has provided billions of dollars in additional funding to prevent hunger and help ensure that children and families have access to healthy, affordable food. Part of the emergency funding is dedicated to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides short-term financial support to low-income individuals and families who struggle to afford food.  

This brief describes the purpose of SNAP and who it serves, provides details about how the program works, presents research about its impact, and describes regulatory changes to the program recently proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The brief also recommends steps policymakers can take to strengthen SNAP during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Key Findings

• SNAP is the nation’s largest nutrition assistance program. In fiscal year (FY) 2020, the program served more than 39 million Americans. Nearly half (44 percent) of participants are children under age 18.
  
• 7.8 million Americans fell into poverty between June and November 2020. The poverty rate in November was 11.7 percent.
  
• The average monthly SNAP benefit—$1.40 per meal—does not cover the cost of a meal in 99 percent of U.S. continental counties.
  
• Research shows access to nutritious food helps children’s brains develop, improves their academic performance, has long-term health benefits, and establishes healthy eating habits that can last a lifetime.
  

Conclusion

Hunger and food insecurity are serious public health threats that impact tens of millions of Americans and disproportionately affect low-income populations. The economic crisis tied to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacts these populations and puts millions more at risk for hunger, food insecurity, and poverty. This brief offers considerations for policymakers through the remainder of the pandemic and economic recession and beyond including: increasing benefits now and going forward to enhance anti-poverty and anti-hunger effects; continuing Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (Pandemic-EBT) through the summer and into the new school year as needed; streamlining eligibility and enrollment processes and focus enrollment efforts on communities with low participation; and, rolling back harmful regulations that limit participation in SNAP.

Related Content