Food Security of SNAP Recipients Improved Following the 2009 Stimulus Package

[blueclown]

This report is a few months old, but it highlights one of the NUMEROUS positive things that the 2009 stimulus did. One of the biggest failings of this administration has been the utter failure in the message wars regarding their two major policy initiatives - the ARRA and the ACA. They have simply let the Republicans just abuse these two major pieces of legislation in the public relations war, with no pushback. In order to win in the 2012 election, the President is going to have to convince the American people that his key policy initatives were successful - and we can start by extolling the benefits of its help in reducing the amount of hungry people in America.

http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/June11/Features/FoodSecuritySNAP.htm

Food spending by low-income households increased and their food security improved as a result of the increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit levels authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) increased benefit levels in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program) and expanded eligibility for the program for jobless adults without children. The increase in benefits depended on the number of qualifying people in the household; benefits for a family of four went up by $80 per month. In addition, ARRA gave States an option to suspend provisions that limit how long some jobless, working-age participants could receive benefits.

These expansions of SNAP were intended to stimulate the economy, create and save jobs, and improve the food security of low-income households. ERS researchers examined ARRA’s impact on low-income households’ food security and found that the ARRA SNAP enhancements increased food spending by low-income households and improved their food security during unusually challenging economic times.

SNAP Benefits Increased by an Average of 17 Percent

SNAP is the largest USDA food and nutrition assistance program and the cornerstone of the Nation’s programs for reducing food insecurity and hunger. The program provides monthly benefits for eligible low-income households to purchase approved food items at authorized food retailers. Households are eligible to receive SNAP benefits based on household income, assets, and certain basic expenses. In December 2008, SNAP provided benefits to 31.8 million people in the United States (10.6 percent of the population). The average monthly benefit was $114.80 per person. Total Federal expenditures for the program in fiscal year 2008 were $37.5 billion.