FRAC: Press Release - NEW: 2006 SNAP/Food Stamp Participation Rates State-by-State

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jen Adach, 202-986-2200, jadach@frac.org

NEW: 2006 SNAP/Food Stamp Participation Rates State-by-State
Download the chart (pdf)

Washington, D.C. – December 3, 2008 – According to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture data, 67 percent of eligible people participated in SNAP/Food Stamps in FY 2006, an increase from the previous year. While an increase from the previous year, this underscores the need to reach more needy eligible people with benefits, according to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC).

The national average participation rate of 67 percent for FY 2006 marked an improvement over the FY 2005 rate of 65 percent. For participation among the working poor, 57 percent of eligible working poor received the benefit in FY 2006, an increase of just one percentage point from the previous year. While these participation numbers are for 2006, states can use these rates to measure their effectiveness in reaching eligible individuals.

“Low participation means lost meals for families and lost dollars for communities,” said Jim Weill, FRAC president. “Dollar-for-dollar, SNAP/Food Stamps are the best stimulus for the economy. States are missing out on millions of federal money that can help needy families and struggling communities.”

A broad range of economists from across the political spectrum have agreed that SNAP/Food Stamps are the best stimulus. Each dollar spent in federally-funded SNAP/Food Stamps generates nearly double that in economic activity.

Across the states, participation varied widely. All states reach at least 50 percent of their total eligible population, but participation among the working poor still lags in many states.

The ten states doing the best job of reaching eligible people were Missouri (98%); Maine (96%); Tennessee (91%); District of Columbia (86%); Oregon (85%); West Virginia (83%); Vermont (80%); Michigan (80%); Illinois (79%); and Kentucky (78%).

The ten states with the lowest food stamp participation rates were California (50%); Wyoming (53%); Nevada (54%); Colorado (54%); Rhode Island (55%); Utah (56%); North Dakota (57%); Idaho (57%); South Dakota (58%); and Kansas (59%).

A majority of states increased participation, with the following states showing the most improvement from 2005 to 2006 (by percentage points): District of Columbia (13); Maine (10); Massachusetts (9); Wisconsin (8); Michigan (8); Delaware (8); Washington (7); and Maryland (6).

Participation among the working poor ranged from a high of 93 percent in Maine to a low of 36 percent in California and Rhode Island.

SNAP is the acronym for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the new federal name of the Food Stamp Program.

About the numbers:

The official USDA food stamp participation rates are calculated for the agency by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., which takes into account the various incomes, citizenship status and resource rules that affect eligibility.

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The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) is the leading national nonprofit organization working to improve public policies and public-private partnerships to eradicate hunger and undernutrition in the United States.