Economic Recovery Act
and
Federal Nutrition Programs

From USDA: This chart shows the additional amount most households in the lower 48 States and the District of Columbia will receive:

Hawaii and Alaska have different amounts.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides a boost in SNAP/Food Stamp allotments, gives states extra money to administer SNAP/Food Stamps, and contains additional nutrition provisions. States will be reprogramming computers to provide SNAP/Food Stamp allotments onto EBT cards starting in April. All recipients will see a boost in their benefits, from 13.6% for those at the maximum benefit, and larger percentage increases for others.

You can maximize ARRA's benefits in your community and state by:

• urging legislators and administrators to take certain options;
• monitoring your state's use of the federal funds;
• conducting public education and outreach activities.

Take Action - Advocate Priorities

Download 10 Ways to Promote the Recovery Act's SNAP/Food Stamp Increases. (pdf)

Thank members of Congress for voting on the package.

• See how the House voted.
• See how the Senate voted.

Educate the public through town hall meetings and letters to the editor about the importance of the package provisions.

Talk with SNAP/Food Stamp administrators about notices to clients and how states will spend additional funding for administrative costs.

Urge states to implement the suspension of SNAP/Food Stamp time limits on able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD), rather than implement the more complicated, costly,and too often counterproductive workfare requirement).

Coordinate with administrators implementing other benefits - like CACFP and UI - to ensure the state maximizes the federal aid available. For more information and action steps, download Child Development Recovery Funds Can Leverage Significant Federal Food Program Funding Into States: Supporting Good Nutrition in Quality Child Care (pdf).

Identify SNAP/Food Stamp participants willing to talk to the media about the difference that the extra SNAP/Food Stamp aid is making for their household's nutrition purchases.

• Get stories out about the impact the economic recovery package is making in the lives of needy people and in the economic vitality of the communities in which they shop and reside.
• See details on the stimulative impact of SNAP/Food Stamps at www.realstimulus.org.

Encourage eligible people to apply for SNAP/Food Stamps.

For feedback and/or technical assistance on implementation activities, contact evollinger@frac.org.