December 13, 2018
During the holidays and all year long, millions of individuals and families who struggle against hunger are able to access healthy food with support from the federal nutrition programs. To celebrate the nation’s nutrition safety net, FRAC is releasing a seven-part “Remember This December” series that will highlight the impact of seven important federal nutrition programs.
This is the third installment of the series, which focuses on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Read the previous installment on afterschool meals.
SNAP is often referred to as the nation’s first line of defense against hunger, which is an apt description. The program provides participants with monthly benefits, which increase their ability to buy needed food. Below are a few key facts about SNAP:
- SNAP lifts individuals out of poverty: While millions of Americans continue to struggle against poverty, SNAP has proven to be an effective anti-hunger and anti-poverty program. In fact, SNAP lifted 3.4 million people out of poverty in 2017, according to the Census Bureau.
- SNAP has multiple strengths: In addition to helping reduce poverty and food insecurity, SNAP improves health and general well-being with long-lasting effects and generates economic stability.
- SNAP matters everywhere: Hunger does not discriminate when it comes to geography. Regardless of whether you live in a metro, small town, or rural area, SNAP is used to put food on tables in your community.
- SNAP matters to everyone: SNAP is invaluable for many vulnerable populations, including children, veterans, and seniors. The program mostly serves these populations, as 78 percent of SNAP households include a child, an elderly person, or a person with disabilities.
- SNAP is critical in times of trouble: When a natural disaster strikes, SNAP serves as an effective, responsive tool for delivering nutrition assistance to recovering communities. Also, the program reacts quickly and robustly to periods of national or local economic distress.
Learn more about the program at FRAC.org, and share our “Remember This December” SNAP graphic.
Watch our video on the importance of the federal nutrition programs.
