Logos
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Staff
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Alexandra Ashbrook, Director of Special Projects and Initiatives |
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Crystal FitzSimons, Director of School and Out-of-School Time Programs |
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Geri Henchy, Director of Nutrition Policy and Early Childhood Programs |
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Ellen Teller, Director of Government Affairs |
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Ellen Vollinger, Legal/Food Stamp Director |
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Beverley Wheeler, Director, D.C. Hunger Solutions |
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Michael J. Wilson, Director, Maryland Hunger Solutions |
June is an important month for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Each June, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prices the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) — a bare-bones market basket — to calculate the maximum SNAP allotment for the upcoming federal fiscal year (which runs from October through September). USDA considers this TFP pricing in June a cost-of-living adjustment for SNAP benefits.
A recent FRAC Chat reported that the federal fiscal year 2018 SNAP eligibility-to-participation gap, or the “SNAP gap,” was around 18 percent. That means that nearly one in five individuals eligible for SNAP missed out on benefits. Now we have state-by-state data on SNAP participation rates overall and for low-income households, including those that are employed.
Communities of Strength is this year’s theme for Older Americans Month. There are many ways to build community strength. Tackling the growing food insecurity among older adults is foundational to achieving active aging and wellness.