SNAP

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers food assistance programs that help provide food for low to no income families. It is their goal to increase food security and reduce hunger by increasing access to food, a healthful diet, and nutrition education for low-income Americans (Caswell, 2013, para. 1). Some of the current nutrition assistance programs include “the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)”(Caswell, 2013, para. 1). SNAP will be the primary nutrition assistance program of the paper at hand. No matter how morally good it is to try to help reduce hunger and increase food security within the United States, there are still many questions regarding issues with SNAP. This paper will be discussing why there is such a strong support for the program, how it helps the United States as a whole, problems with the program, and why some people are against SNAP.

Food stamps are an important component of low-income families’ monthly resources, increasing the chances that families are able to meet basic needs (Ratcliffe, McKernan & Finegold, 2008). This form of food relief dates back to the Great Depression when many Americans lost their jobs and did not have money to feed their families. People were starving while farmers produced abundant crop that could not be sold due to a lack of consumers with buying power (Dorsch, 2013). The Federal Surplus Relief Corporation which was a part of the Agricultural Adjustment Act, bought basic farm goods at low prices and distributed the among hunger relief agencies in different states and local communities (Congressional Digest, 2013).

Food Stamp is a government-funded program in the United States. This is a program that helps people buy food for their families; in other words, it is a very important program to families living in poverty. It is the nation’s most important program in the fight against hunger. This program was developed in the 1960’s; it is made to improve the nutrition level and food purchasing power of people with low-income. This program is offered to people who cannot afford to buy groceries for their families, regardless of age, color, sex or religion. Food Stamps can only be used to buy food items not hygiene or household items, and it’s offered only on a monthly basis.

In order to fix the issue of food deserts, the government has started some initiatives to fix the problem. One of the recently created initiatives is the Healthy Food Financing Initiative. The U.S. Departments of Treasury, Agriculture and Health and Human Services partnered with the Obama administration to create this initiative. It is used to provide aid to communities in lower income areas to develop and equip grocery stores, small retailers, corner stores, and farmers markets selling healthy food choices (Let’s Move). The government will use the census to tract and analyze how to split the $35 million budget (US Department of Health and Human Services). The hope of the initiative is to work towards eliminating food deserts within a seven-year span. Other initiatives like

WIC assists recipients to helps sustain healthy growth and development by meeting nutritional needs as well as by providing recipients with education on the benefits of nutritious food habits so that these habits can continue long after eligibility for WIC benefits ends. WIC is funded annually through the appropriations committee process by grants to each state. The program is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition Service

The federal food stamp program (SNAP), makes up the largest portion of the budget for the US Department of Agriculture.1 In New York alone 15.3% of residents receive benefits from the SNAP program.2 The purpose of SNAP is to provide nutrition to low-income citizens, however SNAP beneficiaries experience higher rates of obesity compared non-reciepiants.3 According to a report published by the USDA, Americans use food stamps to buy more than $600 million worth of “sweetened beverages,” and bought hundreds of millions more of junk food and sugary snacks.4 Lack of regulation and reform to the SNAP program is causing harm to the public.

In the United State, there is a federal nutrition program for low income people to help food budget and buy healthy food. People who have low income in the United States get the food stamps, also known as “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)”. For every month, eligible people who have low income get benefits deposited in to their EBT account. Once they get food stamp, people can purchase food items including seeds and plants to grow food in their house or backyard. It can be used at a grocery store, a supermarket, a farmer 's market, and a shelter that serves meals. However, with all these great benefits, people still eat unhealthy because of too much time consuming, limited money, some food dessert area, and the benefits allow people to eat junk food.

Administered by the USDA, the goal of the program is to alleviate hunger and malnutrition for low-income families, adults and seniors. The program is considered one of the largest and most successful solutions in decreasing food insecurity among senior Americans. The USDA pays 100% of all SNAP/Food Stamp benefits to the states that share the administration cost with the federal government. Congress reauthorizes the SNAP program every five years as part of the Farm Bill, the reauthorization determines who is eligible and addresses benefit levels and program accessibility (Fox, Hamilton, & Lin, 2011, p. 30-33). The USDA has implemented a program to create incentive for low-income seniors to purchase more fresh fruits and vegetables using food stamp. The USDA and other state agencies, businesses, nonprofits and the AARP to draw in low-income seniors to eat healthy foods, have supported the program. The program gives increases the number of establishments that accepts food stamp payment by giving dollar for dollar matches for food purchased by eligible seniors. The program labeled as the Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program SFMNP also establishes educational programs about good nutrition in area grocery stores and farmer’s markets (USDA, 2015, p.

The purpose of the WIC Program is to provide food assistance each month to the participants that are eligible. It helps pregnant women, new mothers, and young children eat well and stay healthy. WIC is also a short-term intervention program designed to influence lifetime nutrition and health behaviors in a targeted, high-risk population.

Many do not know they are eligible, others find the process too difficult. Even those on food stamps benefits can run out before the end of the month, creating tough choice about whether to buy food or pay bills. Charities and churches provide some help but cannot fill the growing need. The food stamp program has a rich history in helping the nation’s poor and it continues to be the nation’s first line of defense against

In order to further support low-income communities and improve this population’s health the federal government needs to not only continue with the supplemental food programs they’ve already put in place, but enhance them by considering the barriers and address them. The government can intervene by integrating other components to the programs that further support people and help eliminate the main barrier by providing them direct access to grocery stores and healthier options. In order for government resources to be more effective in areas where there are limited grocery store options in the community, the government could begin by providing transportation services in areas where grocery stores are limited or if any at all. Providing transportation to those who are receiving government resources like WIC and SNAP would allow families to exhaust

The changes in the SNAP Program that would restrict certain purchases of foods and become more like the WIC Program would affect 45,766,672 individuals. As of now, SNAP participants are able to purchase multiple food items even if they do not have any nutritional benefit. The goal is to increase protein, fruit, vegetables and grain consumption among SNAP participants. When people are low income they tend to buy goods that are cheaper in nutrients. “SNAP participants were least likely to consume any fruits or vegetables compared to those not participating in the program, regardless of cooking frequency.” (Bleich and Wolfson 2015). Increasing protein, fruits, vegetables and grains will have a positive effect on the health of our SNAP participants.

The WIC program is for pregnant Women or recently delivered, Infants and Children under 5. This program provides the following according to age: Milk either formula or regular milk, peanut butter, dry beans or peas, cereal, juice, eggs, & cheese. This program is run through the local health department and is meant to make sure these nutritional things are available for Americas little ones. The sad part is Unlike an entitlement; however, WIC benefits are not guaranteed to individuals if funds are not sufficient. As WIC has moved close to serving all eligible, this has raised the issue of whether the program should be converted into an individual entitlement. Although Other options have been discussed to change WIC's funding from discretionary

The Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) was started in 1972, and was permanently established in 1974 by the USDA (WIC Fact Sheet, 2015; Brown, 2011). WIC was established to safeguard the health of women, infants, and children up to age five who are low income and at nutritional risk; their mission is carried out by means of supplementing diets by providing access to nutritious foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding education, breastfeeding promotion, breastfeeding support, and referrals to health and other social service agencies (WIC Fact Sheet, 2015). WIC is one of the most successful nutrition programs in the United States that is federally funded; it has served approximately 5.7 million children and 1.8 million women in fiscal years 2001-2003 (Brown, 2011). “WIC is not an entitlement program as Congress does not set aside funds to allow every eligible individual to participate in the program. WIC is a Federal grant program for which Congress authorizes a specific amount of funds each year for the program.” (WIC at a Glance, 2015, p. 1). WIC is directed by the Food and Nutrition Service at the Federal level and run by 90 WIC state agencies that operates through 1,900 local agencies in 10,000 clinic sites, in 50 State health departments, 34 Indian Tribal Organizations, the District of Columbia, Northern Mariana, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands (WIC at a Glance, 2015).

Along with cash assistance programs, there are many programs that offer food and medical assistance. Emergency food programs help supplement the diets of low-income needy people by providing food at no cost. Foods banks and churches, both offer emergency food when a family or individual is in need. SNAP which was formerly known as food stamps is a food benefit program that offers low-income people and families help to buy the food needed to maintain a healthy diet and retain good health. The benefits are provided on a link card that is accepted at most grocery stores. There are limits as to what can be purchased with SNAP benefits, such as; cigarettes and any other tobacco products, alcohol, gasoline, and any hot, already prepared foods. Along with food, you are able to also purchase vegetable and fruit seeds to be able to grow your own foods in a garden (DHS Programs). Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC is a food assistance program for women infants and children. The program helps pregnant women, new mothers and young children eat well and stay healthy. Special checks are used to buy, foods like; milk juice, eggs, cheese, cereal, beans, bread, peanut butter, and formula and baby food for infants and babies. Most states also have a medical program and is usually called Medicaid. The Medicaid program is for qualifying low-income individuals and families. For adults the Medicaid program covers doctor visits, emergency room services and hospital services, dental and vision