Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Consolidate das a national program in 1974

State administered, federally financed 100% of benefit is paid for by the
federal govt, the states can choose to buy into the program and make it more
generous
o States are only responsible for a share of the costs of admin
Purpose was to compensate for miserly cash assistance beenfits in some
states
o Unlike TANF, SNAP has uniform national eligibility and benefit
standards that reduce variation in welfare cash assistance the food
stamp program was designed to offset inequalities
SNAP Overview ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM (IN-KIND SERVICE the card allows
the people to pay for an approved list of foods cant buy a lap dance)
(UNCONTROLLABLE SPENDING/ENFORCEABLE IN FEDERAL COURT TO RECEIVE
BENEFITS IF YOU ARE QUALIFIED)
EBC have replaced stamps
Recipients use food stamps to purchase approved foods at retail outlets
o Food and nutrition service creates approved food list
No vice goods or ready to eat foods
o Homeless and disabled people can use SNAP to purchase restaurant
foodothers may not
Food Stamps quick facts
47 million in 2013 30% had an earned income
total spending 2013 was > than 82.5 bilion
avg benefit? - $133 per person/month about $4.45/day
SNAP ELIGIBILITY
based on composition of the HOUSEHOLD not individual
2 financial tests in order to pass:
o 1. ASSET TEST (2000 or less of countable assets)
you can own a shitty car and qualify for food stamps
o 2. INCOME TEST 2 PARTS
GROSS INCOME TEST (130% of federal poverty standard)
NET INCOME TEST

Employment/training related tests

o Certain household members must register for work, accept suitable
job offers, and fulfill work or training requirements established by
State Welfare agency

Who are ABWADS?

Most able-bodied adults must:

o Register for work

o N o fewer work hours than 30/wk
***TANF, SSI, GA recipient? categorically eligibility
Denies eligibility to people who live in an institutional setting
Maximum SNAP benefits
The table reports the maximum availablethose figures are for qualified
households with ZERO income
o Generally food stamp benefits are reduced 30 cents for each dollar of
income
o If a child is related to a poor adult that than that adult is more likely to
receive assistance
o The food stamp program is the only welfare program that has
categorical allotments