FRAC Chat

Gaps in participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) leave too many eligible people without the nutrition assistance for which they are qualified. Barriers range from a lack of awareness that help is available or how to apply, to resources not being available in an accessible language, to stigma. A new memorandum from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourages states to prioritize SNAP outreach and application assistance, including by leveraging 50/50 federal matching funds to pay for those efforts.

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.

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) just released new data regarding participation rates in SNAP between fiscal years (FY) 2016–2018. Of concern is the 18 percent gap between those who were eligible under federal rules in an average month in FY 2018 to receive SNAP versus those who actually participated in the program. While 36 million eligible individuals participated, another 8 million did not. Let’s explore a few of the many possible explanations for this SNAP gap.