Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs

If a significant portion of the people on public assistance cannot afford to eat healthfully and furthermore do not have the ability or the nutritional education necessary to live a healthy lifestyle this has immediate effects on the growing epidemics of obesity, heart disease and other lifestyle related illnesses and on the health system that is already at capacity.

My family didn’t eat at all for the first two weeks and we were starting to develop health problems, fortunately none of my family had to go to the hospital but this wouldn’t be the case in real life. According to Canales, Coffey, & Moore (2015) “Eating nutritious food is one of the major modifiable determinants of chronic disease”. Low income families are especially at risk for malnutrition because more often than not healthier foods are more expensive and do not last as long as less nutritious food. IN addition to malnutrition, families who live in food insecure households are also more at risk for chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and depression. “In order to eliminate persistent health inequities related to food insecurity, nurses and other health professionals need to direct efforts toward identifying food-insecure patients and increasing access to healthy food for low-income populations” (Canales, Coffey, & Moore, 2015). It is also important for nurses to be empathetic and remain non-judgmental towards low income families because difficulty feeding ones’ family can be embarrassing and hard for families to discuss with other people especially

In the United States, there is a substantial number of children that live below the federal poverty line and even more that live below twice the poverty line (Jackson, 2014). According to Jackson (2014), poverty and food insecurity are undeniably related and these children living below the federal poverty line are at risk for varying negative effects, such as delayed cognitive development and medical problems, that hunger can cause. There is a variety of nutritional policies that help these children as well as adults who live in economically disadvantaged and food-insecure households such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) (Jackson, 2014; Marx, Broussard, Hopper, & Worster, 2010). This program

The current Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program lacks efficient criteria and proper monitoring of the program, which has led to individuals taking advantage of the system. The current program as it stands needs to be reformed. Individuals are gaining eligibility into the program that are not using the program as intended, but are using it as a crutch. Recipients have been able to purchase items, using the program, which are not essential for survival and can be viewed as a luxury. Also, recipients of food stamps have been able to create an illegal trade where the individuals have been able to use food stamps as a cash currency. Your department needs to address the importance of having stricter criteria, for

Food insecurity is a term that was introduced by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA labels the insecurity based on the severity with four different groups. One group is the Low Food Security; which means low quality, desirability or variety but no or little reduction of food. Very Low Food Security is reduced food intake and multiple disruptions of eating patterns. The opposite spectrum is High Food Security. This is no food limitations or no issues accessing food. Marginal food security is sufficient supply of food with some concern of ability to supply. (USDA, https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/definitions-of-food-security.aspx).

The Supplementation Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), prior to October 2008 referred to as Food Stamps, was legislatively established nationwide in 1974 by the United States Congress. However, the Food Stamp Act of 1977 established comprehensive reform of the federally supported entitlement program setting the structure of the program today (Food Stamp Act of 1977). SNAP provides in-kind monthly benefits to provide nutrition assistance to low income families and individuals. With over 22 million households in the United States being served by the program in 2014, SNAP continues to be the nation’s largest domestic nutritional assistance program (Hoynes & Schanzenbach, 2015). As a federally supported entitlement program, federal

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (S.N.A.P.) is a federal program founded in 1964, with the purpose of reducing hunger and malnutrition in the United States. Low-income families and individuals that qualify for this federal assistance can buy food every month in the form of an electronic benefit transfer (EBT). These EBT cards are similar to debit card; cardholder’s recipient can use their cash benefits or buy eligible food at most stores and retailers. Over the years S.N.A.P expenses have dramatically increase. S.N.A.P needs reform due to the never-ending of the amount of waste, fraud, and abuse.

This article discusses some of the facts about SNAP, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It talks about how three out of four SNAP households have a child, a disabled person, or someone sixty years of age or older. It talks about how on average, the benefits from SNAP boosted monthly income by thirty-nine percent, and forty-five percent for households with a child. It also talks about how much the program is growing with an average of forty-five million people receiving benefits during the 2011 fiscal year. The reason for so many recipients is because a few years back, the labor market went down causing more people to meet eligibilities of the program along with those already receiving

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federally funded program that allows low income individuals/families to purchase healthy foods when their food budget does not allow it. In California SNAP is known as CalFresh. This program is overseen by The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) -Food and Nutrition Services (FNS). Stakeholders of SNAP are farmers/producers, grocers, hunger, poverty and public health advocates, Departments of Health or Social Services (state), SNAP offices (local), and participants with gross income below 130% of poverty.1,2

In the United States, there is a significant number of women and children that live below the federal poverty line and many still live below twice the poverty line (Jackson, 2014). According to the United States Census Bureau (2016), to be considered in poverty, individuals or families meet certain income thresholds based on family size and composition. Based on these thresholds, people in poverty are at the minimum level of income deemed adequate to provide the basic necessities in life. With poverty often comes food insecurity which can lead to a variety of negative effects such as health concerns, increased health care costs, and emotional and social issues (Jackson, 2014; Henchy, Weill, & Parker, 1999). There are a range of nutritional policies in place that help women and children who live in poverty and food-insecure households, such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) (Jackson, 2014; Marx, Broussard, Hopper, & Worster, 2010). This paper provides a basic policy analysis of the WIC program.

Fortunately, there are several government programs available for families facing food insecurity. One example is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps low-income families afford nutrient rich foods and was formerly known as food stamps (“Supplemental Nutrtion…”, 2017). While this program aids individuals of all ages, there are also programs that are aimed at specific age groups. Another program is the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), which assists low-income elderly individuals above sixty years old and provides them with healthy foods (“Commodity Supplemental…”, 2017). On the other end of the spectrum, the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program allots federal grants for the health care and nutrition

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has changed many families’ diet plans and poverty issues. By having the United States government assist families across the U.S., poverty and hunger in the U.S. has decreased. Although this is true, it is also true that obesity in certain states has increased alongside an increase in junk-food purchases using food stamps. To compensate for this problem, there should be a new set of restrictions imposes in food-stamps purchases.

Having prepared workshops for individuals to implement strategies for all factors that will hinder a person to learn jobs skills needed for the workforce such as; job search strategies, interview preparation, and customer service and other employability skills, along with financial literacy training (Community Action Center, 2016). Other activities such as trainings that teach individuals how to financial manage their income more efficient. Assist programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could help assist families with low income until they were able to develop job skills that would allow for an increase in their overall income.

The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Program is a Federal grant program which is funded by appropriations law on an annual basis. The number of participants depends on the cost of program operation each year. FNS provides cash grants to WIC State agencies for program nutrition services and administration and for food benefit. The WIC program is offered through your local health department to (Oliveira, Racine, Olmsted, & Ghelfi, 2002).

In the United States, there is a significant number of women and children live below the federal poverty line and many still live below twice the poverty line (Jackson, 2014). According to the United States Census Bureau (2016), to be considered in poverty, individuals or families meet certain income thresholds based on family size and composition. Based on these thresholds, people in poverty are at the minimum level of income deemed adequate to provide the basic necessities in life. In 2015, the United States Census Bureau, reported that the official poverty rate was 13.5 percent and 43.1 million were living in poverty. (United States Census Bureau, 2016). With poverty often comes food insecurity which can lead to a variety of negative effects such as health concerns, increased healthcare costs, and emotional and social issues. There are a range of nutritional policies in place that help women and children who live in poverty and food-insecure households, such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) (Jackson, 2014; Marx, Broussard, Hopper, & Worster, 2010). This paper serves to provide a general overview about the WIC