The federal nutrition programs play an important role in ensuring children and families have access to the nutrition they need as they recover from the impact of the COVID-19 health crisis. One nutrition program that has a huge positive impact on families is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP plays a critical role in reducing hunger, malnutrition, and poverty; and it improves family security, child and adult health, employment, and other outcomes. Yet, gaps in SNAP participation leave too many families who are eligible to participate without much-needed nutrition assistance. 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.
This resource looks at how schools can play an important role in connecting families with SNAP, possible partnerships for SNAP outreach, SNAP outreach strategies for schools to implement, and spotlights on how a few states are conducting SNAP outreach efforts in schools.