FOOD ASSISTANCE

Food is a basic need. Nutrition assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), help keep millions of families from hunger, food insecurity, and poverty each year, while also improving health and well-being. SNAP—formerly known as Food Stamps—was created just prior to WWII, expanded in the 1960s during the War on Poverty, and is now the largest nutrition assistance program in the United States. Prior to the pandemic, SNAP served close to 40 million individuals each year. It is a proven anti-poverty policy that is also among the most reliable supports for families during periods of economic downturn or crisis. Serving over 6 million in 2020, WIC helps supplement the food budgets of families with very young children up to age 5, as well as expectant mothers, to ensure a healthy start. Our research explores the anti-poverty potential of current nutrition assistance policy, the impact of nutrition support expansion over time, and proposed future policy changes across the United States and within New York City.