In plain words
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is the main federal food aid program in the United States. It is often called food stamps. Eligible households receive a monthly benefit on an electronic card. The card works at grocery stores and some other retailers. SNAP is run by the federal Department of Agriculture and by state and local partners. The program is based on income and household size, and some rules differ by state. SNAP does not have a pregnancy category, but a pregnant person counts as a member of her household. SNAP is not the same as , which is a separate program for pregnant people, new mothers, and young children. Families are often eligible for both. Rules and amounts change over time.
The deeper version
SNAP was authorized by the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, which renamed the earlier Food Stamp Act, and is administered by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. Benefits are calculated from net income after deductions and delivered through electronic benefit transfer. Eligibility tests include gross and net income limits and, in most states, asset limits. It is among the most-studied transfer programs in US policy research, and studies link it with , health, and pregnancy outcomes. Debates center on work requirements, benefit adequacy, and how much the program's effects depend on design.
Where it comes up
- WIC and food assistanceCalifornia: Leave, Money, and Paperwork
- Medi-Cal, Covered California, and insurance in pregnancyCalifornia: Leave, Money, and Paperwork
- Stocking the freezer before birthNourishment and Traditions
- What to eat in pregnancy: the short versionPregnancy: Eating
What mothers here say about Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
No one has posted under this term yet.
Sources
- US Congress — Food and Nutrition Act of 2008
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service — Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program overview