6 things you might not know about SNAP

This August marks the 60th anniversary of the passage of the Food Stamps Act, which created the program we know today as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).

Changes to SNAP can have a downstream effect on food pantries and we wanted to share 6 things you might now know about our best tool for fighting hunger.

1. The official name of the program is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: While many people still refer to the program as ‘food stamps’, In 2008 the name of the program was officially changed to try and reduce some of the stigma created for those utilizing the program. Starting in the late 80’s, the program slowly transitioned to a more discrete Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card that mirrors any other credit/debit card.

2. Almost everyone who utilizes a DMARC Food Pantry is income eligible, but most do not enroll in SNAP

Last month (July 2024), 94% of individuals who utilized the DMARC Food Pantry Network met the income eligibility to qualify for SNAP Benefits. Only 35% of those who got food from a pantry last month actually received SNAP benefits. Participation in the state of Iowa is at a nearly 16-year low in the state of Iowa, despite food banks and food pantries continuing to see record numbers.

3. The length of participation in SNAP is on average 7 to 9 months:

Despite many misconceptions, federal nutrition programs are not designed to create a reliance on the program. The SNAP Employment and Training Program helps participants gain skills, training, or work experience to increase their ability to attain regular employment if they are able. In a similar light, the average number of months people utilize a DMARC food pantry is 4.3 times in a year.  More than half of SNAP recipients are children or seniors. The large majority of people enrolled in SNAP who can work, do work. Work requirements already exist for most adults between the ages of 18 and 52 who are physically and mentally capable of working.

Often times a major expense, temporary loss of income, or major life event are what instigates a need for food assistance.

4. SNAP usage has a profound effect on food pantry usage- 

We know from these previous examples that when SNAP is more accessible, and benefit amounts are more adequate, we see less people turning to food pantries to make ends meet. The policies set by our government, and the rhetoric espoused by our leaders, have real impacts on the lives of people experiencing hunger and food insecurity – and they also influence their decision on whether or not to apply for SNAP.

We’ve seen this trend playing out for a while, starting in the fall of 2013. That October, additional SNAP benefits from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act expired, participants saw a reduction in their SNAP benefits, and rules around work requirements resumed.

The following year, DMARC saw a 20% increase in use across our Food Pantry Network, while SNAP enrollment steadily declined. The trend of rising food pantry use and falling SNAP enrollment continued until the COVID-19 pandemic, when additional SNAP benefits helped keep families afloat and food pantries saw a decrease in use. But when those additional benefits went away in April 2022, the DMARC Food Pantry Network saw dramatic increases in food pantry use, which have continued to this day.

5. It was created as a centerpiece on the ‘War on Poverty’:

The first food stamp program was created in 1939, during the height of the Great Depression, not only to provide food to the hungry but also to stimulate the economy by encouraging the purchase of surplus foods. 

From 1964-1974, states and counties added the program to the portfolio of services to help low income individuals and their families put healthy food on the table.  By October of 1974, the program was nationwide.

6. You can learn more about SNAP in your backyard right now! The Iowa Hunger Coalition has an interactive SNAP dashboard that allows you to look at real-time data about program usage across the state. Try searching by congressional district or by County. https://www.iowahungercoalition.org/snap-map/

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