April 18, 2012 -- By Audrey Rowe, Administrator - Food and Nutrition Service
 
As reauthorization of SNAP approaches, policymakers, interested citizens, and you
(E-update readers) need reliable information to assess the program's strengths and identify opportunities for improvement. USDA's new Building a Healthy America report draws on a wide range of research and analysis to present the latest information on SNAP's operatons and impacts. Please download, read, and share.

Some key points include:

Program Participants
●  In 2011, SNAP served nearly 45 million people, about one in seven Americans. Nearly half of SNAP participants are children. 8% of all participants are age 60 or older, and about 20% of households include a disabled member.

Work Support
●  75% of the people who receive benefits for a year or less - and about 40% overall - live in households with earnings

Program Integrity
●  In fiscal year 2010, the program achieved the highest level of overall payment accuracy in its history. The record low error rate has been achieved during a time of rising State caseloads. In the past 10 years, the error rate has declined by 56% although SNAP participation has grown by 134%.
 

Reducing Poverty
●  Census Bureau analysis shows that SNAP would lift 3.9 million Americans - including 1.7 million children - out of poverty if its benefits were included in the official measures of income and poverty.

Economic Multiplier
●  Every $1 in new SNAP benefits generates up to $1.80 of economic activity.

Other SNAP Topics in the Report Include:
- Diet Quality of SNAP Participants
- Reasons for Not Participating in SNAP
- SNAP Participation Rates by State
- SNAP Modernization
- And much more

Again, you can view and/or download the report by clicking here.

21 de Marzo, 2012 -- Por Lisa Pino, Administradora Deputada de SNAP

La misión del Servicio de Alimentos y Nutrición del USDA (FNS) es proveer asistencia nutricional a todos los niños, familias y personas de bajos recursos que la necesiten para ayudarlos a estabilizarse económicamente. Para poder lograr este objetivo, nosotros trabajamos en conjunto con una red de asociados quienes nos ayudan a combatir el hambre. Especialmente, esperamos incrementar el acceso a la asistencia nutricional en la comunidad hispana mejorando la participación en el Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program o SNAP (antes conocido como Cupones de Alimentos), el programa más grande que tenemos para combatir el hambre.
 

Mira el Webinar de SNAP en español
por oprimir aquí.  

En diciembre, más de 120 organizaciones asociadas de habla hispana se unieron a FNS para participar en su primer webinar en español acerca de los requisitos para ser elegibles en SNAP. Colaborando en el USDA estaba la Oficina de Organizaciones Religiosas y Comunitarias, juntos condujimos el webinar para informar a los líderes comunitarios bilingües sobre la política de SNAP y compartir información acerca del trabajo que estamos llevando a cabo así como también los recursos y las herramientas que tenemos para conducir programas de alcance en la comunidad latina y contestar una serie de preguntas y preocupaciones acerca de la Elegibilidad de los emigrantes en SNAP.
 

El dialogo ilustró nuestro compromiso de asegurarnos el acceso al programa para todas las personas elegibles, sin importar su lugar de origen, raza o etnicidad. El año pasado, el USDA dio un paso histórico cuando: anunciamos el plan de La Mesa Completa, el cual es el resultado de la directiva del Secretario de Agricultura Tom Vilsack de desarrollar un plan de alcance comprensivo de los programas de FNS dirigido a la población latina; lanzamos MiPlato, la versión bilingüe del nuevo icono de alimentos MyPlate; promulgamos nuevas políticas sobre los requisitos de emigración relativos a SNAP, por la primera vez en más de una década; y lanzamos el nuevo Localizador de Tiendas de SNAP en español.

El acceso al programa continúa siendo una prioridad porque aunque 46 millones de personas al mes reciben la asistencia de SNAP, millones de personas elegibles no participan: latinos, emigrantes, adultos mayores, veteranos, y trabajadores de bajos recursos. En el 2007, únicamente 56% de los latinos elegibles recibieron SNAP e inclusive con 6.6 millones de latinos participantes en el programa en el 2010 todavía la participación fue baja.

La misión de FNS es proveer a todos los niños, familias y personas de bajos recursos elegibles la asistencia nutricional que necesitan. Todos los días, trabajamos con un sin número de organizaciones asociadas nacionales, estatales y locales para asegurarnos que nuestros programas continúen haciendo la diferencia para millones de personas que están viviendo con hambre alrededor de la nación. Y ellos merecen ser ayudados.

Para oír la grabación del webinar en español del USDA, oprima aquí. Para aprender más acerca de cómo colaborar visite nuestra página web o contáctenos en getinvolved@fns.usda.gov.

February 17, 2012 -- The cornerstone of our nation's food safety net is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).  The program has been in the news a lot lately, but not much attention has been paid to the people who actually use the program.  The program helps out many Americans from all walks of life from all parts of our country.  A clear picture of SNAP clients may surprise people.  Take a look.  

In FY 2010:
SNAP clients were as diverse as America. SNAP clients may report their race and ethnicity as part of the application process, though it is not required. In 2010, application data showed that

•34% were whites;
•22% were African-Americans;
•16% were Hispanic;
•3% were Asian; and
•4% were Native American.
•For 20%, race/ethnicity was not reported.

Many SNAP participants had jobs. Nearly 30 percent of SNAP households had earnings and 41 percent of all SNAP participants lived in a household that had earnings. Jobs were the primary source of income for most of these households.

Most SNAP participants were children, elderly or disabled.

•Nearly half (47 percent) were under age 18;
•8 percent were age 60 or older.
•Nearly 20 percent of SNAP households contained a person with disabilities.

One of the most important transformations over the last 20 years is a fundamental shift in income from welfare to work. In 1990, 42 percent of all SNAP households received cash welfare benefits and only 19 percent had earnings. In 2010, only 8 percent received cash welfare, while 30 percent had earnings.

Click here to download "The Face of SNAP Participants" document and help educate others about SNAP.
 

February 15, 2012 -- Feeding America, the Nation’s largest network of Food Banks, has been an active partner in fighting hunger for many years. USDA has partnered with Feeding America on a variety of initiatives to make sure that those in need have access to the food and nutrition programs that can help during difficult times. Feeding America’s work with Latinos contributes to USDA’s goal of reaching more Latino families with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

A Feeding America study funded by the ConAgra Foods Foundation found that 1 out of every 3 Latino children in America receives emergency food assistance from the Feeding America network. While emergency food is a critical resource for many Latino families, this research also found that Latino households are significantly less likely to utilize the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the cornerstone of the federal nutrition safety-net.

In response to this research, the ConAgra Foods Foundation is generously supporting Feeding America in piloting an initiative to increase participation in SNAP amongst Latino households. Feeding America is excited to announce that the following five food banks will be participating in this pilot project:
 

• Island Harvest in Mineola, NY
• Treasure Coast Food Bank in Fort Pierce, FL
• St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance in Phoenix, AZ
• FIND Food Bank in Indio, CA
• San Antonio Food Bank in San Antonio, TX

Over the next year, these food banks will be working with local community partners and volunteers to raise awareness about SNAP and provide application assistance to Latino families in their local communities. Feeding America is the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity. To learn more please visit www.feedingamerica.org.
 

Altagracia Guzman, Public Benefits Specialist, in front
of a mural at the CWP. The mural represents the
culture of the surrounding Mexican community and hospital leaders whose vision shaped the CWP.

December 21, 2011 -- We usually think of a hospital as a place where people go for help with physical ailments or medical emergencies. But one Chicago hospital is dispensing much more than health care to the people of its community. Saint Anthony Hospital is on a mission to reduce hunger and poverty by connecting eligible people to vital public benefits and services, including USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Saint Anthony Hospital is deeply rooted in its southwest side community. It has supported community-based services for almost 20 years, and its Community Wellness Program (CWP), opened in 2009, expanded that commitment.
 

The CWP offers an array of free services, including a public benefits and referral services program to help link eligible people to SNAP and other benefit programs.  The hospital serves two impoverished communities – one primarily Latino and one mainly African-American.  Both populations often encounter barriers to accessing SNAP. In addition to language barriers, Latino families with mixed immigration status or undocumented members may be afraid to apply for SNAP because of a fear of deportation. Nationally, only about 50% of eligible Latinos participate in SNAP, compared to an overall rate of 72%.

Saint Anthony Hospital’s CWP offers a trusted, welcoming place for people to come for help. “By building trust, we can capitalize on word of mouth referrals,” says Leslie Fiedler, CWP Coordinator. CWP bilingual staff members serve as “cultural brokers,” helping clients navigate complex public benefits systems. They work one-on-one with SNAP applicants to screen them for eligibility, help complete applications, and follow up on the outcomes. They also provide translation services, advocate for clients, conduct numerous public informational meetings and events and create targeted messaging about eligibility for mixed immigration status families. Last year, the CWP helped 310 clients successfully apply for SNAP. In fiscal year 2012, their goal is to help 600 clients with application assistance and case management.

The CWP works hard to build good relationships with many community partners. Their staff attend regular meetings sponsored by the Illinois Hunger Coalition at local Illinois Department of Human Services offices to stay abreast of SNAP changes and advocate for culturally sensitive policies. The CWP also receives SNAP outreach funding from the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), an approved State SNAP outreach partner.

State SNAP agencies can receive reimbursement for up to 50 percent of their administrative costs for outreach to low-income people. Community and faith-based organizations may serve as contractors under the State outreach plan. If your organization conducts SNAP outreach, you can find out more about becoming part of your State’s formal SNAP outreach plan.  Click here to learn more about federal funding for SNAP outreach.

August 16, 2011 -- Mobile farmers’ markets that accept SNAP benefits are bringing fresh produce directly to the communities that need it most. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, 2.3 million low-income households do not have access to a vehicle and live more than a mile from the closest supermarket. Individuals in these households face both financial and transportation barriers to getting healthy, nutritious foods for their families.

The mobile farmers’ market initiative is a win-win for all parties. SNAP recipients in food insecure locations are able to obtain fresh fruits and vegetables, and local farmers gain new economic opportunities and an additional customer base.

Put all these fresh fruits and vegetables on a truck and bring them to food deserts and you got
yourself a mobile farmers' market.

Beans & Greens, which operates in the Kansas City metropolitan area, was created specifically to address the issue of food insecurity and food deserts on the local level. The organization uses a truck to visit various areas in the region and sells fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses. Customers on the SNAP program are able to double their benefits on items purchased at the mobile market.

In the Richmond, Virginia area, Farm to Family uses a converted school bus to bring fresh food products into the community. In addition, Wednesday through Friday customers can call and schedule a Farm to Family visit in their own neighborhood.

Using mobile farmers’ markets as a strategy to increase access to food is an idea that’s spreading to other areas of the country. New Jersey recently passed legislation to create a statewide mobile farmers’ market network targeted at low-income residents, and in Washington, DC Arcadia's Mobile Market Project is expected to launch in late spring.
 

On Wednesday, January 5, 2011, Attorney General Eric Holder (center) convened the inaugural meeting of the Cabinet‐level “Reentry Council” in Washington to
identify and to advance effective public safety
and prisoner reentry strategies. 
Photo credit: U.S. Department of Justice

Many never dreamed they would one day be forced to choose between buying groceries or medicine. They worked hard, raised their children, paid their taxes, and gave back to their communities.  Then the economy got worse and their situation, often for reasons beyond their control, changed.  They lost their job. Retirement funds vanished. Their spouse or partner became ill or died.  In just two years, the percentage of older Americans struggling with hunger more than doubled, from 4.7 to 10.1 percent. 

Because no one should go hungry in America, last fall AARP Foundation and AARP began Drive to End Hunger, a multi-year, multifaceted national campaign to end senior hunger. 

A core component of Drive to End Hunger is its three-year partnership with four-time NASCAR Sprint Series champion Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports to raise awareness and funds to fight senior hunger among NASCAR’s 75 million fans.  In February, Gordon’s No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet debuted at the Daytona 500 in the first of 22 annual races in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series over the next three years.

Other campaign elements include:

·         Providing funds, volunteers and food for local food banks and other food providers;

·         Engaging in SNAP outreach and application assistance;

·         Developing long-term, sustainable solutions to senior hunger through grant-making;

·         Providing thought leadership and addressing key research gaps on senior hunger.

AARP Foundation is a leading national charity helping low-income, vulnerable older people meet their everyday needs — food, housing, income and personal connection.

For more information, please visit www.drivetoendhunger.com. 
 

June 30, 2011 --

Ms. Lee: I am a widow. My sugar level was over 400. I have no teeth. Let me tell you my story.

Once a week, some eighty senior citizens attend health awareness education classes at the Center for Pan Asian Community Services (CPACS) in Atlanta, Georgia. Some of the activities in which the seniors participate include singing, jazzercise, origami, Photovoice, and knitting. During their time at the Center, the seniors also learn about FNS nutrition programs, especially the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The program also helps to educate seniors about nutrition and how they can use SNAP benefits to purchase and prepare food for a healthier diet.

I came from Korea. My parents were pretty well off. We had meat and sweets whenever we wanted. I hated vegetables. When I was a in junior high, I met the love of my life. We had a near perfect life. He died of TB at the age of 32. But before he died, he didn't want to pain me so he never told me he was dying. Instead, he filed for divorce thinking I will be better off a divorced woman rather than a widow. After he died, I found his diary reading his pain to save my heart from breaking.
 

Judy Yi, Program Director for CPACS, says, "Since 2007, we have been able to assist approximately 35,000 people to learn about SNAP nutrition benefits through our outreach and advocacy efforts. CPACS provides support to Limited English Proficient communities of over 16 different languages, mainly Asian languages, helping them to navigate the system to improve better health and food access."

In Soon Lee leads seniors in a group sing-along of Korean classic songs.  Photo by Vino Wong, Atlanta Journal Constitution

June 24, 2011 -- Every month, more than 44 million people use SNAP benefits to access nutritious food. Most of us probably imagine individuals purchasing items like tomatoes, squash, and apples with their benefits. SNAP, however, can also help people buy seeds and plants that produce edible items. All SNAP retailers, including Farmers’ Markets, are authorized to sell seeds and plants to SNAP participants.

For every $1 dollar invested in seeds and fertilizer, home gardeners can grow an average of $25 worth of produce. Growing food from seeds and plants makes SNAP benefits last longer, allowing recipients to double the value of their benefits over time. Supplementing the monthly SNAP benefit with homegrown food makes it possible for families to buy food products that they wouldn’t normally be able to afford.

The act of being producers as well as consumers is an empowering experience for SNAP participants. It allows them to feel self-reliant. It’s also another great way to promote nutrition, enabling people to take pride in eating their own homegrown fruits and vegetables. 

Encouraging SNAP participants to buy seeds
is a vital component to integrate into your organization’s SNAP outreach efforts. Participants who have never gardened might be hesitant to take advantage of seed and plant benefits. There are many strategies your organization can implement to encourage participation.
 

A volunteer at the USDA People's Garden tends
to Blossom and German Extra Hardy garlic.  The USDA through it's People's Garden encourages everyone to grow their own food whether it's a
couple of tomato plants or an acre of
biointensively grown vegetables. 
USDA photo by Lance Cheung

These include:

• Community gardening classes and clubs to help neighbors support each other in gardening endeavors.

• If you’re in an urban area, host classes on how to grow small food bearing plants indoors and in small spaces like windowsills.

• If you’re an organization with open land, consider donating space to SNAP participants who do not have room available for gardening.

• Encourage families to participate. Growing food is an activity families can take on together.

• Create recipe books that incorporate the foods commonly grown in your community.

For more information on SNAP benefits visit www.fns.usda.gov/snap.
 

April 15, 2011 -- Last month, Wholesome Wave, an organization dedicated to increasing access to and the affordability of locally grown foods in historically excluded urban and rural communities, received a $600,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente. Most of the funding will be used to support Wholesome Wave's Double Value Coupon Program, which doubles the value of SNAP benefits when they are used at participating farmers' markets. Currently, there are 160 farmers markets in 20 states that participate in Wholesome Wave's Double Value Coupon Program.

You can double your cherry tomato purchases at Farmers' Markets that participate in Wholesome Wave's Double Value Coupon Program.

Funding for Kaiser Permanent's grant to Wholesome Wave was raised through their employee wellness program, Healthy Workforce. Kaiser Permanente contributed $50 for each employee who took a health risk assessment and almost 23,000 employees participated. Kaiser Permanente's grant to Wholesome Wave to increase participation at farmers' markets is fitting since Kaiser Permanente was the first health care organization to hold farmers' markets at its hospitals. Currently, the organization hosts 40 farmers' markets at facilities in four states.
 

Some Farmers' Markets use tokens called scrip, which allow SNAP Benefits to be used at the market.  Scrip can be purchased at a central
market location using SNAP Benefits. The
tokens can then be used to buy fresh food from
any market vendor, eliminating the need for each
individual vendor to have a device that accepts
SNAP EBT cards.    

One of the best ways to stimulate your local economy is to increase SNAP participation. Every $5 in SNAP benefits spent, can produce up to $9 in local economic activity. Wholesome Wave’s Coupon Program only increases these local benefits as participants get fresh foods and local farmers and producers increase their customer base. In 2010, Wholesome Wave's programs generated more than $1 million in sales at farmers’ markets through their incentives, which directly impacted income of more than 1,700 farmers and more than 700 local product makers throughout the United States. If there is not a farmers’ market near you that participates in the Wholesome Wave Double Value Coupon Program, there are still many farmers’ markets that accept SNAP benefits. You can find a list of SNAP retailers, including farmers’ markets, in your state by visiting the online SNAP Retail Locator.
 

March 25, 2011 -- The Area Agency on Aging (AAA) is determined to improve the nutrition of low income seniors in Ohio. "We want to allow our seniors to put more nutritious food in their grocery carts and on their tables,” says Teresa Cook, Community Services Manager Ohio District 5 AAA, on their outreach partnership with grocers in Richland County, Ohio.

Ohio District 5 AAA’s trained outreach volunteers are stationed at rural grocery stores in the County to discuss with potential applicants the benefits of SNAP, conduct confidential pre-screening for eligibility, and assist with completing applications for benefits. “We have many seniors who are eligible for benefits who aren’t receiving them,” explains Cook.

Click here to read more.

The AAA’s approach to outreach has been successful in getting more seniors to apply for SNAP. One of the reasons that the AAA’s partnership has been effective is because seniors regularly visit their local grocery stores and feel comfortable there. For these reasons, it is also more likely seniors will try new foods and consider new ways of preparing what they purchase. To that end, the grocers also provide space to accommodate nutritious cooking demonstrations. The demonstrations are conducted by chefs from local assisted living facilities who volunteer their time to this worthy cause.

Many potential applicants are familiar only with the minimum monthly benefit for SNAP. The myth that ‘you won’t get much for your effort’ is still too prevalent. To debunk the myth, Cook says, "I went shopping to see what $16 would buy, and I got bread, bananas, fresh carrots, cheese, tuna, eggs, potatoes, fresh green beans, and ice cream!”

By all accounts, the AAA’s efforts have been appreciated. As one outreach worker said, “An 80-year-old senior, slight in stature, started to cry when the pre-screening tool told us she would probably be eligible for SNAP. She is struggling to pay medical bills so she had been cutting back on groceries. Thanks to SNAP, she will be able to buy more groceries. She held my hand and thanked me. I hugged her and said, ‘This is why we are here.' There isn’t a better feeling than that!”



AAA Ohio grocery store partners (left to right): Carla Tash and Sue Feeney of Cornell's IGA;
Pat Hayes and Bernard Hollar of Stoodt's Market; Jerry Hitchman of Hitchman's Market

 

March 11, 2011 -- Let's get right to the point.  Every $5 in new SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) benefits generates $9 in total economic activity (USDA). When measured by each dollar's impact, SNAP
is one of the best forms of stimulus for local economies and because the majority of SNAP benefits are spent the month they are issued, SNAP acts as an immediate boost.  Increasing SNAP participation among eligible families should be a top priority for states looking to increase local economic growth.

Click on the Economic Benefits of SNAP map for specific information on what an increase in SNAP participation would do for your state's economy.

In fiscal year 2008, the average monthly SNAP benefit per household was approximately $227. These SNAP dollars help stimulate local economies because they are spent at local grocery stores, convenience stores, and farmers markets.  Moreover, studies have shown that a $1 increase in the value of SNAP benefits of a typical SNAP recipient leads to additional food expenditures of between $0.17 and $0.47.  These numbers show that SNAP recipients spend more dollars on food at local retailers than eligible non-participants.  Money spent at local food retailers and farmers markets helps maintain and create jobs across sectors including the agricultural sector.  On average, $1 billion of retail food demand by SNAP recipients generates 3,000 farm jobs (USDA).

The positive benefits to local economies from increasing SNAP benefits is evident.  Still, what should not be lost among all these figures is the fact that SNAP helps families through tough economic times.  Children, who represent 50% of SNAP participants, do not have to go to bed hungry.  Parents can use SNAP benefits on the road back to self-sufficiency since half of all new SNAP participants will leave the program within nine months (USDA).

Check out how increasing SNAP participation can help your specific state by viewing the SNAP Economic Benefits interactive map.