SNAP solves food insecurity

SNAP Reduces Food Insecurity Households The significant, temporary increase in monthly SNAP benefits from ARRA helped reduce food insecurity by 2.2 percentage points and reduce very low food security by 2.0 percentage points among low-income households between December 2008 (pre-ARRA) and December 2009 (about eight months post-ARRA).133 Participation in SNAP for six months reduced the percentage of SNAP households that were food insecure by 6–17 percent, and reduced the percentage that were very low food secure by 12–19 percent, based on various estimates using a national sample of SNAP households.134 In another study, SNAP participation reduced the likelihood of being food insecure and very low food secure by 31 and 20 percent, respectively, based on a national sample of low-income households.135 Children Children in households that had participated in SNAP for six months were approximately one-third less likely to be food insecure than children in households recently approved for SNAP but not yet receiving it, based on a national sample of SNAP households with children.136 Among low-income households experiencing food insecurity among children, the odds of being food secure two years later were almost four times higher for SNAP participants compared to non-participants, according to a study that used national, longitudinal data.137 While food insecurity is dynamic and changes as families with children enter, participate in, and leave SNAP, a national study of more than 10,000 families found that participation in SNAP reduced the probability of child food insecurity.138 Among low-income families with children in the Three Cities Study (Boston, Chicago, and San Antonio), SNAP receipt reduced the probability of very low food security for households and for children.139 According to one estimate using national data, SNAP reduces childhood food insecurity by at least 8.1 percentage points “and perhaps much more.”140