BEYOND THE NUMBERS
SNAP Food Assistance Is a Sound Investment in Our Nation’s Health, Well-Being, and Economy
Food is an essential human need. The United States has the resources to ensure everyone has enough to eat and no one goes hungry. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is our nation’s most effective tool to reduce hunger and food insecurity among our most vulnerable neighbors, including children, older adults, people working low-paying jobs, people with disabilities and serious health conditions, and veterans. Beyond helping millions of people afford the food they need, SNAP plays a critical role in reducing poverty, improving health and economic outcomes, and supporting the economy during downturns. For children in particular, SNAP delivers benefits that last a lifetime. One study estimates that every SNAP dollar invested in children returns $62 in value over the long-term.
Despite these clear benefits, Republican lawmakers, in order to partially pay for tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthy, are considering proposals that would cut SNAP by $230 billion through 2034, taking away help many low-income households need to afford food. This would increase their grocery costs and the risk of experiencing food insecurity.
Evidence shows investment in SNAP yields a broad range of benefits to people’s well-being — now and in the long-term — and supports the economy. Here are some key findings from the research:
SNAP is highly effective at improving food security. Food insecurity, when a household doesn’t have enough resources to buy enough food, makes it harder for people to manage illness and is linked to chronic health conditions and higher health care costs. Food assistance from SNAP reduces the overall prevalence of food insecurity by as much as 30 percent, and is even more effective among children and those with “very low food security,” that is, when one or more household members have to skip meals or otherwise eat less during the year because they don’t have enough money.
One study found that food insecurity among children fell by roughly a third after their families received SNAP benefits for six months. Emerging evidence also suggests that SNAP helps decrease decades-long racial inequities in food security, reducing the gap between Black and Hispanic households, which are more likely to experience food insecurity because of starkly unequal opportunities and outcomes in education, employment, health, and housing, and white households.
- SNAP’s return on investment far outweighs its costs. By investing directly in the health and well-being of low-income children, SNAP provides lasting gains not only for the children who participate, but for the nation. One study estimated that every SNAP dollar invested in children returns $62 in value over their lifetimes (due to a range of benefits including improved educational outcomes, higher earnings in adulthood, increased life expectancy, and increased government tax revenue). SNAP should be seen as an investment that will deliver continuing benefits for the life trajectories of children and the broader economy.
- SNAP plays a critical role in supporting families and local communities during economic downturns. In a weak economy, every $1 in additional spending on SNAP benefits generates $1.54 in economic activity as households use their benefits to shop at over 250,000 local grocery stores and supermarkets, spurring new spending throughout local economies across the country.
- SNAP frees up money that can be used for health-promoting activities and is linked with better access to preventive health care and reduced health care costs. Food assistance acts as an income boost, allowing people to spend money that would otherwise have been used for food on health-related activities. Infants and children in families receiving food assistance from SNAP are more likely to see a doctor for periodic check-ups. Older adults participating in SNAP are more likely to take the full dosage of prescription medications because they have enough income to afford food and medicine, compared to low-income older adults not participating in SNAP, who may have to make difficult choices about stretching their medication to afford enough food. SNAP may also help low-income older adults live independently in their communities and avoid hospitalization. Low-income adults participating in SNAP incur $1,400 — nearly 25 percent — less in medical care costs than low-income non-participants.
- SNAP has near-term and long-lasting effects, improving health, education, and economic outcomes that extend from childhood into adulthood. SNAP participants are more likely to report excellent or very good health than low-income non-participants. One study found that test scores among students in SNAP households are highest for those receiving benefits two to three weeks before the test. Another study found that SNAP was associated with a reduced likelihood of repeating a grade among children in low-income families. Studies have found children have improved birth outcomes and better health, education, and employment outcomes as adults if they had SNAP access during early childhood or if their parent had SNAP access during pregnancy. There is emerging evidence showing the association of SNAP with reduced risk of premature death.
SNAP helps over 40 million people each month better afford food without sacrificing their health and well-being. Making sure children have enough food to grow, making sure older adults don’t have to choose between medication and food, making sure people in volatile low-paying jobs don’t go hungry if their hours are cut or they lose their job are all worthy investments. Lawmakers should protect SNAP from ill-advised cuts that will make our nation less healthy and less prosperous.
