Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Essay - 1276 Words

As of 2013, one sixth of the entire country was enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Through this program, 47 million Americans are given federal financial aid to purchase fresh groceries (Plumer). One of the highly debated provisions of the SNAP program is what participants should be allowed to use their food stamps for. As of right now, food stamps can only be used to purchase food that can be cooked or eaten at home, preventing families from spending the federal aid at restaurants (USDA). Recently, the fast food corporation YUM!, which owns Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut, has lobbied to change this restriction (USA Today). Should people benefitting from the SNAP program have the right to spend their money on†¦show more content†¦If food stamps are designed to feed the hungry then does it really make sense to deny them access to certain foods? I understand Gourdine’s point; that it seems counterproductive for the government to fund the pu rchasing of foods that are known to cause health complications. However the purpose of the SNAP program is not to promote a healthier country. According to the Food Stamp Act of 1977 created by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the intention of the SNAP program is â€Å"to alleviate hunger and malnutrition †¦ by increasing food purchasing power for all eligible households who apply for participation† (FRAC). Therefore, widespread access to food should be the primary concern, not increased healthcare costs or nutritional value. The hope in forcing food stamp recipients to buy only fresh food is that they will venture to the grocery store and engage in healthier eating habits. Having said that, there are very few restrictions regarding what you can use SNAP benefits once when you get to the grocery store. The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 definesShow MoreRelatedThe Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program1387 Words   |  6 Pagesmay have the poorest h ealth of any aggregate in the United States and the least access to affordable healthcare (Nies, 2011). In Indiana, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides food assistance to low and no income people and families living in the United States (U.S.). It is a federal aid program administered by the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), however, distribution of benefits occurs at the state level. In Indiana, the Family andRead MoreThe Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Essay2344 Words   |  10 PagesThe Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, otherwise known as SNAP, originates from the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933. It was established in the Great Depression era as the Federal Surplus Relief Corporation when crop prices fell drastically and farms were struggling to deal with the excess supply. The Federal government bought the surplus as discounted prices and distributed them to hunger relief agencies. In 1939 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal program, the FoodRead MoreThe Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Essay1852 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is a policy that was created to provide aid to many low-income families and individuals by offering nutritional assistance. The main social problem this policy intends to address is hunger caused by poverty. Poor nutrition is a major problem that cripples low-income families and is one of the biggest causes of death today in young children. Poverty and hunger have a mutual relationship because those who often lack the resources orRead MoreThe Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Essay1285 Words   |  6 Pages1 The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has become an immense support for food insecurity, particularly in low-income families in our country. The SNAP program has been initiated to reduce hunger during economic crisis and has become crucial in helping its participants to meet their dietary needs (Blumenthal, 2012 pg.50). However, there is a main concern is that SNAP participants are also at risk for developing obesity and other chronic disease. The SNAP program finds that theRead MoreThe Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program2412 Words   |  10 PagesPurpose of Program In regards to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the purpose of the organization could be described as insuring that eligible, low-income individuals and families have access to nutritional and economic benefits. According to the United Stated Department of Agriculture, SNAP is the largest program in the domestic hunger safety net (USDA, 2016). The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) assists state agencies, nutrition educators, neighborhood, and faith-based organizationsRead MoreSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ( Snap )1969 Words   |  8 PagesSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Issues dealt with by the policy The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a program developed and administered by the United States Department Agriculture; to support families and individuals with low income by providing nutrition assistance in coordination with State agencies and other organizations such as State agencies, faith based organizations and educators. In addition, SNAP provides a variety of parallel benefits to society regardingRead MoreAnalysis Of The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program734 Words   |  3 PagesBackground The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is one of the largest federal expenditures in North Carolina. The North Carolina General Assembly has charged the State Auditor with including but not limited to independently examining: operating and administrative procedures and practices; whether programs and activities are expending funds in a faithful, efficient, and economical manner in compliance with applicable laws and regulations; whether activities or programs are effectivelyRead MoreSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ( Snap )1668 Words   |  7 Pagesthe importance of food assistance initiative continue to become popular among million of American citizens, across the country (Plumer, 2013). This paper will focus on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) popularly known as Food Stamps as one of the most important food assistance program in the Country. Statistics/Current Situation According to the recent statistics by United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition, the country’s Food Stamps Program (FSP) experienced varyingRead MoreSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ( Snap )2351 Words   |  10 Pages Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Introduction The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, was introduced in 1939 to alleviate poverty and hunger in the United States. The main purpose of the program is to help people with low-income to afford nutritious diet by elevating their purchasing power (Cuunyngham et al., 2006). In 1943, when the economic situation stabilized the subsidies were stopped. However, the Senate kept on discussing theRead MoreAnalysis Of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program885 Words   |  4 PagesIn the United States the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is regulated and funded by policies made by our elected officials. The authors at the Food Research Action Center complied the percentages of participants in the SNAP program by state and compared that to the national average. Maine households participating in SNAP is 15% and nationally it is 13% of the population.1 Focusing on our home state, Maine has 104,115 households and 199,689 individu als with SNAP.2 Working in a state with