1. Overview: Federal Nutrition Programs
2017 U.S. Poverty Campaigns

2. Hunger in the U.S.
Despite the U.S. being the richest nation on the planet, food insecurity affects 1 in 7 Americans, meaning they do not always have access to enough food to sustain an active, health lifestyle.
This affects a person’s health, ability to work or learn in school.

3. U.S. Hunger in Numbers
In 2015, over 42 million people lived in food insecure households, 6.4 million of them children (USDA).
16.6 percent of American households with children under 6 years old were food insecure
A Place at the Table

4. Federal Programs are Key to Fighting Hunger

5. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

6. SNAP (formerly Food Stamps)
SNAP is the first line of defense against hunger in America
It is one of the most efficient government programs
More than 99 percent of benefits go to eligible households
In 2015, SNAP lifted nearly 4.6 million people above the poverty line, including about 2.1 million children
Serves over 43 million people per month
4.6 mil
SNAP lifted 4.6 mil people out of poverty, including 2.1 million in 2015
Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Coalition for Human Needs

8. Who Receives SNAP
About 93 percent of SNAP benefits go to households with incomes below the poverty line
58 percent go to households below half of the poverty line
about $10,080 for a family of three in 2016
68 percent of SNAP recipients are in households with children
30 percent of SNAP recipients are in families with a senior or person with a disability.
As of 2017, the FPL is $24,600 for a family of 4

9. Experts on Poverty l SNAP Matters!

10. Experts on Poverty l SNAP Matters!

11. SNAP: Impacts

12. Good For Individual Health

13. Good for the Economy
Each $1 of federal SNAP benefits generates $1.79 in economic activity.
Mark Zandi, Moody’s Economy has estimated that figure to be $1.84
U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that between 8,900 and 17,900 full time jobs are created for every $1 billion in SNAP spending.
Coalition for Human Needs

14. Good for the Children
SNAP participation can lead to improvements in reading and mathematics skills among elementary children, especially young girls, and increase the chances of graduation
Studies show that children who are regularly hungry suffer from weakened immune systems, slowed and abnormal growth, and anemia.
Coalition for Human Needs

15. SNAP: Why Now?

16. Budget Fight Puts Basic Food Assistance at Risk
President Trump has proposed deep cuts to anti- poverty programs
House FY 2018 budget proposal includes $150 billion in cuts to SNAP, including $10 billion in “fast track” cuts (via reconciliation instructions)
The Farm Bill, which funds agricultural programs such as SNAP, is also up for a reauthorization vote in 2018
Many breathed a sigh of relief after House budget leader's instructed the Agriculture Committee to make $10 billion in cuts over 10 years, after fearing the number would be much higher. But anti-hunger advocates are flipping out as they crunch the math on what, exactly, the GOP budget resolution could mean for low-income Americans. The Food Research & Action Center on Wednesday called the budget plan “an all-out assault on struggling American families that would make hunger in this country far worse.” FRAC said that a $10 billion cut was only the tip of the iceberg, and SNAP would be the ultimate target, not other farm programs. -

17. SNAP’s Core Structure Under Threat
House Speaker Paul Ryan has proposed restructuring SNAP (via “block grant” or “flexible spending stream” for states), reducing the size of the benefits, and restricting the eligibility for the program.
If turned into a block grant, this would:
Make SNAP less able to respond during economic downturns as states would be able to move funds from SNAP to other programs during budget shortfalls.
Eliminate SNAP’s flexibility in times of crisis
SNAP, currently, expands and contracts based on need
Allow Congress to ignore the needs of individual states
Allow states to move funds from SNAP to other programs during budget shortfalls

18. Nutrition Programs Must Respond to Increased Need

19. SNAP: Meeting the Needs of Millions During the Recession

20. TANF is NOT the Model!

21. SNAP Participation and Costs Going Down

22. Doesn’t SNAP Disincentive Work?
Work requirements would cut off access to basic food assistance while job searching, which only makes it harder to get back on your feet. Rather than punishing people who are already facing economic hardship, Congress should create jobs and boost wages.

23. Anti-Poverty Programs Make an Impact!
The impact of safety net programs is often ignored…

24. SNAP Matters!

25. Strengthen SNAP: We Must Increase Benefits
SNAP’s meal allotment of about $125 per month, or about 1.40 per meal, per person is inadequate to meet the nutritional needs of hungry Americans.
Food-insecure families, who are more likely to be poorer, report needing an additional $12 to $20 per person per week (about $50 to $85 per month).
Low-income families report that to meet their food needs, they would need to spend an additional $4 to $9 per person per week on food, or about $17 to $40 per month

26. Let Congress Know
SNAP plays a critical role as our first line of defense against hunger, helping many working families make ends meet.
SNAP plays a critical role in helping families get ahead when times are tough or wages aren’t enough, while supporting local economies.
We must oppose cuts or structural changes to SNAP and other nutrition programs in the FY 2018 Budget or next Farm Bill

27. SNAP/Budget Laser Talk
Engage: Nearly 1 in 5 children in the U.S. live in households that are struggling against hunger.
Problem: Yet leaders in Congress want to “fast track” cuts to basic assistance programs, including the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program.
Inform: SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) is the first line of defense against hunger in America. The U.S. Census reports that SNAP lifted 4.6 million people out of poverty in But Congress and the President want to undo SNAP’s success by slashing its funding by at least $10 billion, making it harder for many of us to put food on the table. [If you have a personal story, please share it!]
Call to Action: Will you urge congressional leaders to protect and strengthen basic assistance programs like SNAP by opposing any efforts to “fast track” cuts using budget reconciliation in the next budget?  And, will you oppose efforts to cut or restructure SNAP in the next Farm Bill or other 2018 legislation?

28. Thank you for raising your voice to protect and strengthen SNAP!

29. --Additional information--

30. 6.3 million households experienced very low food insecurity.
Low Food Security: (Food insecurity without hunger): reports of reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet. Little or no indication of reduced food intake.
Very Low Food Security: (Food insecure with hunger) Reports of multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake.

31. Strengthen SNAP: We Must Increase Benefits
Researchers at the University of Kentucky 91 and also those from Dartmouth and Wellesley Colleges 92 have examined the potential impact of raising SNAP benefits by 20 percent. They find that increasing SNAP’s benefits would reduce food insecurity and increase consumption of more nutritious foods.
The Children’s Defense Fund reports that this change would reduce child poverty by 16 percent, lifting 1.8 million children out of poverty, and cost approximately $23.2 billion.