Food Assistance | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Food Assistance

Report

More Adequate SNAP Benefits Would Help Millions of Participants Better Afford Food

July 15, 2021 | Steven Carlson, Joseph Llobrera and Brynne Keith-Jennings

The Thrifty Food Plan — the USDA’s food plan designed to provide a nutritionally adequate diet at minimal cost and the basis for SNAP benefits — is badly out of date.

Food Assistance in American Rescue Plan Act Will Reduce Hardship, Provide Economic Stimulus

May 7, 2021

Report

American Families Plan Could Substantially Reduce Children’s Food Hardship

May 21, 2021

Report

Food Assistance in President Biden’s COVID Relief Plan Would Reduce Hardship, Provide Economic Stimulus

January 28, 2021

Report

Number of Families Struggling to Afford Food Rose Steeply in Pandemic and Remains High, Especially Among Children and Households of Color

April 27, 2021 | Brynne Keith-Jennings, Catlin Nchako and Joseph Llobrera

Report

Permanently End the SNAP Cut-Off to Support a More Equitable Recovery

May 4, 2021 | Ed Bolen, Joseph Llobrera and Brynne Keith-Jennings

Statement

Rosenbaum: Executive Action on Food Assistance Strengthens Federal Response to Hunger

January 22, 2021 | Dottie Rosenbaum

Report

Matching Data Across Benefit Programs Can Increase WIC Enrollment

April 27, 2021 | Jess Maneely and Zoë Neuberger

Resource List

Puerto Rico's Nutrition Assistance Program

Puerto Rico’s household food assistance program, the Nutrition Assistance Program, is one of the most important programs helping people meet basic needs in Puerto Rico.

Resource List

El Programa de Asistencia Nutricional (PAN)

El Programa de Asistencia Nutricional es uno de los programas de asistencia económica más importantes en Puerto Rico.

Resource List

SNAP: State by State Data, Fact Sheets, and Resources

June 26, 2019

This page contains links to resources and fact sheets organized by state.

Resource List

Resources on SNAP and Work

SNAP is an important support for low-income workers. Millions of Americans work in jobs with low wages, unpredictable schedules, and no benefits such as paid sick leave — all of which contribute to...

New on this Topic

Fact Sheet

Tracking the COVID-19 Recession’s Effects on Food, Housing, and Employment Hardships

July 20, 2021

Policy Brief

Modernizing SNAP Benefits Would Help Millions Better Afford Healthy Food

July 20, 2021

Report

More Adequate SNAP Benefits Would Help Millions of Participants Better Afford Food

July 15, 2021

Report

Widespread Economic Insecurity Pre-Pandemic Shows Need for Strong Recovery Package

July 14, 2021

Report

Eligible Low-Income Children Missing Out on Crucial WIC Benefits During Pandemic

July 12, 2021

Interactive

Changes in WIC, Medicaid, and SNAP Participation by State

July 12, 2021

Policy Basics

SNAP helps over 40 million low-income people afford a nutritionally adequate diet; WIC provides nutritious food for about 7 million low-income women, infants, and children; and school breakfast and lunch programs provide free and reduced-price meals to over 20 million low-income children.

We design and promote policies to make SNAP stronger, more accessible, and easier to administer; help states design their SNAP programs; help ensure that WIC has the funds to serve all eligible applicants; and design and promote policies that increase school meal participation by low-income children.

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Experts

Catlin Nchako

Dottie Rosenbaum

Zoë Neuberger

Brynne Keith-Jennings

Ed Bolen

Joseph Llobrera

Parrott: President’s Recovery Agenda Is an Ambitious Plan to Tackle Big Problems

The proposals constitute a ground-breaking agenda to move us toward an equitable economy and address problems that have plagued our nation for...

An Opportunity to Make Summer Childhood Hunger History

April 28, 2021: We’ve updated this post. This week, the Agriculture Department (USDA) implemented a measure in the American Rescue Plan Act that could transform our nation’s approach...

Number of Families Struggling to Afford Food Rose Steeply in Pandemic and Remains High, Especially Among Children and Households of Color

The number of households having difficulty putting food on the table grew sharply over the past year due to COVID-19’s far-reaching health and economic impacts and remains high relative to...

Matching Data Across Benefit Programs Can Increase WIC Enrollment

Table of Contents Overview Why Is It Worthwhile to Enroll More Medicaid and SNAP Participants in WIC? How Medicaid Participants Can Benefit From Participating in WIC How...

Permanently End the SNAP Cut-Off to Support a More Equitable Recovery

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides benefits broadly to low-income households that meet the program’s eligibility requirements, but its coverage of non-elderly adults...

Rescue Plan Will Help Puerto Rico’s COVID-19 Recovery, But Stronger Food Assistance Needed in Future

Leer en español The American Rescue Plan Act includes $1 billion in funding for nutrition assistance for Puerto Rico and other territories that receive block grants for...

El Plan de Rescate le ayudará a Puerto Rico a recuperarse del COVID-19, pero a futuro hará falta asistencia alimentaria más sólida

Read in English La Ley del Plan de Rescate Estadounidense (en inglés The American Rescue Plan Act) incluye mil millones de financiación en asistencia...

More Adequate SNAP Benefits Would Help Millions of Participants Better Afford Food

Food Assistance in American Rescue Plan Act Will Reduce Hardship, Provide Economic Stimulus

American Families Plan Could Substantially Reduce Children’s Food Hardship

Food Assistance in President Biden’s COVID Relief Plan Would Reduce Hardship, Provide Economic Stimulus

Number of Families Struggling to Afford Food Rose Steeply in Pandemic and Remains High, Especially Among Children and Households of Color

Permanently End the SNAP Cut-Off to Support a More Equitable Recovery

Rosenbaum: Executive Action on Food Assistance Strengthens Federal Response to Hunger

Matching Data Across Benefit Programs Can Increase WIC Enrollment

Puerto Rico's Nutrition Assistance Program

El Programa de Asistencia Nutricional (PAN)

SNAP: State by State Data, Fact Sheets, and Resources

Resources on SNAP and Work

New on this Topic

Tracking the COVID-19 Recession’s Effects on Food, Housing, and Employment Hardships

Modernizing SNAP Benefits Would Help Millions Better Afford Healthy Food

More Adequate SNAP Benefits Would Help Millions of Participants Better Afford Food

Widespread Economic Insecurity Pre-Pandemic Shows Need for Strong Recovery Package

Eligible Low-Income Children Missing Out on Crucial WIC Benefits During Pandemic

Changes in WIC, Medicaid, and SNAP Participation by State

Policy Basics

SNAP helps over 40 million low-income people afford a nutritionally adequate diet; WIC provides nutritious food for about 7 million low-income women, infants, and children; and school breakfast and lunch programs provide free and reduced-price meals to over 20 million low-income children.

Experts

Parrott: President’s Recovery Agenda Is an Ambitious Plan to Tackle Big Problems

An Opportunity to Make Summer Childhood Hunger History

Number of Families Struggling to Afford Food Rose Steeply in Pandemic and Remains High, Especially Among Children and Households of Color

Matching Data Across Benefit Programs Can Increase WIC Enrollment

Permanently End the SNAP Cut-Off to Support a More Equitable Recovery

Rescue Plan Will Help Puerto Rico’s COVID-19 Recovery, But Stronger Food Assistance Needed in Future

El Plan de Rescate le ayudará a Puerto Rico a recuperarse del COVID-19, pero a futuro hará falta asistencia alimentaria más sólida

Reversing Trump Policy, Biden Administration Includes Lowest-Income Households in Emergency SNAP Benefits

USDA Ends Trump Administration’s Push to Cut Jobless Off SNAP

American Rescue Plan: Shots in Arms and Money in Pockets