SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Evaluating SNAP: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance

Program's Design, Impact, and Future Prospects

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Abstract

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), launched to improve the nutritional

status of economically-affected families residing inside American borders, is the topic of my

comprehensive review. This paper aims to trace SNAP's historical beginnings, objectives, and

operational methods, analyzing the collected material from academic journals, official reports,

and crucial legislative documents. The historical step of SNAP illustrates the legislative

milestones and the substantive changes that have marked it. The scene is set for a

comprehensive discussion of food security, health results, and economic stability. Skepticisms

like fraud, dependency, and nutritional adequacy are sharply focused, while implementation

strategies are currently under review. Lastly, there is a summary of the recommendations for

bringing in necessary changes to improve the efficiency and durability of the programs. This

study also raises its voice in the debate to expand welfare programs, which can help formulate

the necessary policy for such programs by proposing avenues for future research.
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Contents

Introduction......................................................................................................................................3

History of SNAP..............................................................................................................................4

Goals and Objective of SNAP.........................................................................................................6

Eligibility Criteria for SNAP...........................................................................................................7

Implementation of SNAP................................................................................................................8

Impact of SNAP...............................................................................................................................9

Criticisms of SNAP.......................................................................................................................10

Suggested Reforms and Policy Proposals......................................................................................12

Future Outlook for SNAP..............................................................................................................13

Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................14

References......................................................................................................................................15
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Evaluating SNAP: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance

Program's Design, Impact, and Future Prospects

Introduction

One of the most fundamental schemes of the federal social welfare policy in the U. S.,

which is recognized, is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly called

the Food Stamp Program. Since its creation in 1964 with the help of the Economic Opportunity

Act, the nutrition-based SNAP program has been focusing on reducing food insecurity among

low-income families by offering them financial assistance for buying groceries. This initiative

forms a key part of nationwide health protection and economic consolidation for its poorest

groups, simplifying the lives of up to 50 million Americans by bridging the gap between food

crises and nutritional adequacy.

It investigates the varied aspects of SNAP, culminating in tracing its origins, arguments

for current frameworks, and factors behind the societal impacts. Not just worn by narrative, some

army battles hard with the structural and operational components, analyzing them from the point

of view of their strengths and weaknesses. This investigation aims to describe a couple of

plausible options that can set this program apart from many. Using a systemic and detailed

assessment of the different aspects of policies and the implementation of such policies, the study

aims to bring significant remedies to the policymakers, the stakeholders, and academic scholars
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and contribute to the perspective that can bridge the gap between the stagnated notion of

allowing SNAP to meet the current needs of its beneficiaries and using the program as an

instrument which can contribute to the growing economicFurthermore, this analysis also reflects

the central role SNAP serves in the broader context of social welfare, and at the same time draws

attention to the need to continually reshape the program to ensure that it reaches and affects as

many beneficiaries as possible.

History of SNAP

One of the programs in the history of social welfare, which dates back to the Great

Depression era and is a successor of the Hoover program, is the Supplemental Nutrition

Assistance Program (SNAP). It all began in 1939 with the introduction of the Food Stamp

Program, originally intended to combat excess farm produce and hunger in the country. This

would be facilitated by allowing individuals to purchase surplus farm products for a certain

amount of government-issued stamps (Zhang et al., 2018). The project's temporal dismissal was

experienced; however, it recovered and was permanently sanctioned by Congress through the

Food Stamp Act of 1964. This law signifies a turning point by making SNAP a crucial form of

governmental means the country uses to eradicate poverty and food insecurity.

Over the years, SNAP has greatly transformed through various benchmarks of the bill's

amendments, which indicate the complex process of systems of society and the economy. The

1977 Food Stamp Act greatly simplified eligibility decisions, which were not fair, and promoted

the uniform distribution of benefits. Besides, it reinstated the P-EBT program that automatically
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issued food stamps to those households without purchase requirement, removing one primary

obstacle to access for the poorest families.

The modification continued in the later years, particularly in the 1996 welfare reform,

aimed at reducing dependency on government assistance through work requirements on non-

disabled people without dependents (Berkowitz et al., 2017). Nevertheless, along with the yellow

vest movement, there was controversy over the possibility of increased adversity, mainly among

the poorest strata. For example, on a request to the 2008 Farm Bill that was renamed into the

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, nutrition over food aid was emphasized, and

outreach and educational aspects were expanded to help participants make informed dietary

choices. Each of its quintessence major throughout the history of SNAP has been modified to fit

the different American socioeconomic conditions. These changes and landmarks also show the

program's flexibility, arguably, and further problematize whether the strategies adopted are

perfect for fighting hunger and encouraging self-sufficiency for program recipients. Under this,

the history of SNAP illustrates its persistent place in American social policy, renewing itself to

fulfill the mission of decreasing blackouts in the lowest-income communities and promoting

health among them.

Goals and Objective of SNAP

Among the goals of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is to support

or even foster economic bolster activities. These tasks are sometimes complex and dependent on

the general needs of low-income families. The core goal of these objectives is providing food

security to the country's people because food security is a problem experienced by many people
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who undergo inconsistent meals that are insufficient for a healthy and normal active life. SNAP

directly focuses on this issue by giving money for food so that low-income families can purchase

food without price tags (Carlson, Llobrera, & Keith-Jennings, 2021). Families can substitute

inexpensive food when necessary to meet nutritional needs. Offering nutritional assistance is also

deemed a fundamental part of SNAP, which includes the special SNAP-Ed and the nutrition

supplements promotion program. The objective goes beyond providing people experiencing

poverty with an immediate need for food by aiming at food quality in their diet. SNAP assists in

teaching good eating habits and healthy food selection by partnering with diverse organizations

such as health and nutrition groups. Thus helping to eliminate widespread nutritional problems

among the underprivileged communities. This educational part is one of the most important tools

that allows the community to fight diet-related illnesses, including obesity and diabetes, whose

affluent groups are their main target.

Economic stimulus through SNAP also has a role in providing support to low-income

families. One way SNAP effectively stimulates the economy is by directly injecting money into

households that get the benefits and are more likely to spend that money immediately.

Effectively, dollar for dollar, SNAP spending is a catalyst for economic growth as these benefits

create multiple economic impacts (Carlson, Llobrera, & Keith-Jennings, 2021). Thus, by

increasing private consumption by 70, one can expect an increase in economic activity as

stipulated in the economic multipliers in the related studies. Job creation is a major benefit that

comes on particularly strong during a recession, with the SNAP expenditures contributing to
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boosting consumer spending in the hardest-hit communities, which helps sustain jobs and other

businesses in those areas.

Eligibility Criteria for SNAP

The eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is determined

by several criteria that guide the program in choosing those who need it most. These criteria

include income and asset limitations, the number of household members, and citizenship and

residency requirements, each contributing to defining who qualifies for the program

(Houghtaling et al., 2021).

 Income Requirements: SNAP benefits are designed to assist low-income individuals and

families. Eligibility depends on family income being below the particular amount, which

is 130% of the federal poverty line for gross income and 100% for net income. Net

income considers essential deductions such as housing, utilities, childcare, and others.

 Asset Limits: Another major factor is asset limits that are used to stop households of high

net worth from getting benefits so that the benefits are only given to those with little

financial security. During the abovementioned requirements, households typically

possess less than $2,250 in assets or $3,500 if someone is disabled or aged 60 or over.

This includes bank account balances but excludes primary residences, personal

belongings, or retirement accounts, accentuating the program's aim to assist only those

with limited liquid assets (Cuffey, Newby, & Smith, 2024).

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 Household Composition: Eligibility may also vary regarding family composition. This

program evaluates the number of family members, the presence of dependents, and the

shared financial burdens in the household.

 Citizenship and Residency Requirements: SNAP is applicable to certain lawful non-

citizens, such as refugees and those who have received asylum, and also to some legal

immigrant categories who have lived in the country for at least five years.

Implementation of SNAP

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for hungry American families is

a joint effort of the federal and state governments to curb hunger in households challenged by

food scarcity. This complex procedure is carried out via the Federal-State partnership, with all

the steps being synchronized, from the user-friendly assistance process to the benefits

calculations being accurately done to have a well-organized distribution system.

 Federal-State Partnership: Besides, NAP is financially supported by the feds through the

USDA which determines the allotment scale and culminates the participation principle.

However, when the program is in the state, the local management permits the changes,

leading to better adjustments. Through this partnership, compliance with national

standards will be achieved. Also, due to this collaboration, there will be flexibility in the

amount being serviced, even for the various states/counties.

 Application Process: The applicant for SNAP first applies to their state's local SNAP

office, giving the particulars of income and the size of their household. The process has
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been perfected year by year, with today's applicants successfully submitting their online

application documents containing income, assets, and family composition data.

 Benefit Calculation: The amount of SNAP benefits to be provided for a family is

calculated according to a formula that considers the household income, the number of

family members, and possible deductions like housing costs and child care fees. My goal

is to add some extra money to the household food budget so that there will be an

opportunity to purchase foods with various nutrients. On the other hand, the benefit does

not increase as the income level reaches a certain point for the household (Berkowitz et

al., 2017)

 Distribution Mechanisms: Benefits go to the cardholders through the Electronic Benefit

Transfer system, which electronically stuffs monthly funds onto the card, which

resembles any debit card. Customers can transition from receiving food assistance to

using a SNAP EBT card to purchase eligible supermarket and grocery items at authorized

stores.

Impact of SNAP

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) significantly affects different

ramifications of social welfare, manifested as health impacts, food security, poverty reduction,

and economic outcomes. All the areas correspond to the program's main objectives and illustrate

its impact on these vulnerable populations.

 Health Outcomes: The effect of the SNAP program on health is mainly realized through

improved nutrient access. By making it possible for poor people to acquire more
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nutritious food options, SNAP decreases the number of nutrition-related health issues like

obesity, diabetes, and heart diseases. Studies revealed that traditionally, SNAP

participants' diets were more balanced compared to other individuals with similar socio-

economic endowments, which translated into better overall health and lower medical

expenses (Houghtaling et al., 2021)

 Food Security: An indicative effect of SNAP is its remarkable improvement in food

security. The program ensures that all participants have enough resources to avoid

hunger. SNAP has been successful in reducing the food insecurity rate among the nation's

poorest homes as it allocates the necessary financial means for food purchasing.

 Poverty Alleviation: SNAP is an essential tool for poverty reduction. It provides a

financial backup for families on the brink of poverty and helps reduce the poverty rate by

50 cents for each dollar of SNAP benefits.

 Economic Effects: Besides its social security function, SNAP contributes to financial

stability. Through SNAP, individuals receive benefits to buy food, which contributes to

monetary stimulus, especially in periods of recession (Rivera et al., 2019). The USDA

says that $1 of SNAP benefits creates around 13,500 jobs, mainly in the retail and

agriculture industries.

Criticisms of SNAP

However, SNAP is not without its challenges, which mainly relate to fraud and abuse,

dependency, nutrients and dietary levels, and administration issues. Every one of these sectors

points to the program's vulnerabilities, which potentially may limit its effectiveness and impact.
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 Fraud and Abuse: Perpetual criticism of SNAP involves fraud and abuse cases. SNAP

benefits are seen to be trafficked for cash, and false income reporting to meet eligibility

requirements is an example. Although fraud rates have always been very low, historically

staying under 2%, such incidents could erode public trust and damage the program's

financial integrity (Carlson & Keith-Jennings, 2018).

 Dependency Concerns: Critics frequently point out that SNAP may create a certain

dependency among its users, which could eventually discourage self-sufficiency. This

opinion states that some recipients may become dependent on the benefits and less

motivated to work, seek employment, or get better-paid jobs for that reason. On the other

hand, studies demonstrate that the majority of SNAP beneficiaries who are able to work

do so, and the benefits help mostly to address periods of hardship instead of becoming

someone’s permanent crutch.

 Nutritional Quality of Purchased Items: Nevertheless, one of SNAP's objectives is to

improve people's diets, but there is a worry about the quality of the food that the

beneficiaries buy. The program covers all foods, even those with very low nutritional

value.

 Administrative Challenges: Handling SNAP encompasses several logistical and

bureaucratic difficulties, including the approval of applications and compliance with

program rules. These obstacles may result in delays, errors in benefit allocation, and

inconsistencies among various regions and municipalities.

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Suggested Reforms and Policy Proposals

Some suggested reforms and policy proposals have been presented to encourage the

performance of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). These initiatives are

designed to enrich the eligibility criteria, augment nutrition education, control fraud and abuse,

and consider increasing benefits (Chang, Kim, & Chatterjee, 2017). These reforms intend not

only to improve SNAP's operation but also to maximize its positive impacts on the communities

it serves.

 Strengthening Eligibility Criteria: A recommendation should be identifying specific

eligibility criteria for SNAP to achieve the desired goal of directing support for persons

who need this while addressing abuse by others. It can be done by improving income and

asset tests or by considering economic disparities and the cost of living in the region and

modifying the threshold. Enhancing Nutrition Education: A better quality educational

part of SNAP can enable it to achieve more health pros. Provided ideas include a long-

term nutrition education program that teaches recipients the best choice of foods,

preparation techniques, and how to get the quality caliber of food on a reasonable budget.

 Addressing Fraud and Abuse: Stricter verification methods and well-monitoring tools can

deter fraud and abuse. Water monitoring tech and analytics cannot only track leaks but

also eliminate them completely.

 Increasing Benefit Amounts: Accelerating upgrading the SNAP benefits can be one of the

efficient ways to adjust the inflation rate and guarantee beneficiaries have enough SNAP
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benefits that meet the nutrition requirements. High flexibility of extra allowances as

modern prices permit may not cover food, at least in places with high cost of living.

Future Outlook for SNAP

Considering that SNAP's future direction is quickly summarized, it is time to go in-depth

and look at certain areas that concern, challenge, and offer opportunities for policymakers

(Keith-Jennings et al., 2019). The upcoming years will be about spanning temporary rents and

adapting to a new multidimensional environment for public health.

 Emerging Trends: The US taxpayer should be interested in extending help to SNAP

because it not only deals with hunger directly but also tries to promote the adoption of

better eating patterns. Such policy advocacy may culminate in the induction of legislation

promoting the SMART card system, thereby transforming the purchasing patterns of food

items among the bulk of people experiencing homelessness.

 Challenges and Opportunities: Technology integration is a two-edged sword for SNAP; it

displays the challenges and opportunities. Mobility limitations or living in food deserts

are not obstacles to the mobile app for benefit management and online grocery shopping,

which will be the program's breakthrough and bring the services closer. Yet, these

innovative tools need to be rolled out cautiously to ensure they are accessible to anybody,

not just those with an internet connection or computing skills (Mozaffarian et al., 2018).

 Policy Implications: The permanent discussion between giving aid and striving to be self-

sufficient will continue and affect the SNAP programs. Proposals can concentrate on

revising the eligibility criteria and benefit calculations to assist those in need while
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encouraging their economic independence suitably. Additionally, economic fluctuations

may lead to a fall in government budgets, compelling SNAP to show its relevance and

necessity in public services to secure or expand funding.

Conclusion

The above analysis of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) illustrates

its crucial role in limiting food insecurity, improving nutritional health, and providing economic

security for low-income households in the United States. The structure of this program is wisely

designed, taking into account many different aspects of poverty and nutrition in a multicultural

society, which makes the program more comprehensive. This study shows that although SNAP is

quite effective, some measures can still be improved. Reinforcing the criteria for eligibility,

refining nutritional education, preventing fraud, and modifying benefit levels can help enhance

the program's efficiency and impact. Policymakers, therefore, have to consider all of these

factors in the process of amending the regulations so that the program can better serve the

requirements of the SNAP recipients.

Further research is recommended to track the long-term health effects of SNAP

beneficiaries, focusing on the impact of nutritional advice and benefit adjustment. Further,

researching the role of technology in the administration of SNAP would provide the basis for

improving accessibility and efficiency. Research into the economic multiplier impact of SNAP

from various economic cycles would also provide useful data to advance the cause of continued

investment in the program.

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References

Berkowitz, S. A., Seligman, H. K., Rigdon, J., Meigs, J. B., & Basu, S. (2017). Supplemental

Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation and health care expenditures among

low-income adults. JAMA Internal Medicine, 177(11), 1642-1649.

doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.4841
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Berkowitz, S. A., Seligman, H. K., Rigdon, J., Meigs, J. B., & Basu, S. (2017). Supplemental

Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation and health care expenditures among

low-income adults. JAMA Internal Medicine, 177(11), 1642-1649.

doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.4841

Carlson, S., & Keith-Jennings, B. (2018). SNAP is linked with improved nutritional outcomes

and lower healthcare costs. Washington, DC: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 1-

19. https://championprovider.ucsf.edu/sites/champion.ucsf.edu/files/CBPP%20SNAP

%20linked%20with%20nutritional%20outcomes%20and%20health%20care

%20costs.pdf

Carlson, S., Llobrera, J., & Keith-Jennings, B. (2021). Policy brief: modernizing SNAP benefits

would help millions better afford healthy food. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/modernizing-snap-benefits-would-help-

millions-better-afford-healthy-food

Chang, Y., Kim, J., & Chatterjee, S. (2017). The association between consumer competency and

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation on food insecurity. Journal of

nutrition education and behavior, 49(8), 657-

666.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2017.01.008

Cuffey, J., Newby, K., & Smith, S. (2024). Social inequity in administrative burdens: evidence

from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Public Administration

Review, 84(2), 338-356.https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13701

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Houghtaling, B., Serrano, E., Chen, S., Kraak, V. I., Harden, S. M., Davis, G. C., & Misyak, S.

(2021). Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-authorized retailers’

perceived costs to use behavioral economic strategies to encourage healthy product

sales. Ecology of Food and Nutrition, 60(2), 212-

224.https://doi.org/10.1080/03670244.2020.1833873

Keith-Jennings, B., Llobrera, J., & Dean, S. (2019). Links of the supplemental nutrition

assistance program with food insecurity, poverty, and health: evidence and

potential. American journal of public health, 109(12), 1636-1640.

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Mozaffarian, D., Liu, J., Sy, S., Huang, Y., Rehm, C., Lee, Y., ... & Micha, R. (2018). Cost-

effectiveness of financial incentives and disincentives for improving food purchases and

health through the US Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): A

microsimulation study. PLoS medicine, 15(10),

e1002661.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002661

Rivera, R. L., Maulding, M. K., & Eicher-Miller, H. A. (2019). Effect of Supplemental Nutrition

Assistance Program–Education (SNAP-Ed) on food security and dietary

outcomes. Nutrition Reviews, 77(12), 903-921.https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuz013

Zhang, F. F., Liu, J., Rehm, C. D., Wilde, P., Mande, J. R., & Mozaffarian, D. (2018). Trends

and disparities in diet quality among US adults by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance

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doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.0237
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