The term SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. SNAP is a federal government-backed program that gives money to people and families who either have no income or who don’t earn enough to buy their own food.
SNAP is massive. In 2018, it is estimated that over 40 million people received food aid from the program. That’s nearly 10% of the entire U.S. population. Depending on where you live, how much you make, and how big your family is, you might be able to qualify for SNAP benefits.
But, back to why you’re here. What does SNAP mean? Let’s take a look.
SNAP is an acronym for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Here is an explanation of each word you can how they fit together:
- Supplemental. Supplemental means in addition to. This means that the government (through your local state agency) is going to give you extra money in the form of direct payments, food credits and/or food stamps, so that you can buy groceries and other essential items. Many people that receive SNAP benefits have a job, however, the job might not pay enough for them to cover all of their expenses at the end of the month. This is where SNAP comes in, providing the additional money you need to put food on the table.
- Nutrition. The funds you get from SNAP are supposed to be used to purchase nutritious food. It is the government’s desire that all people that live in the United States have access to nutritious food. SNAP is designed to help those that don’t earn enough money to pay for their own notorious food. It is not recommended to buy junk food or non-essential items with SNAP money.
- Assistance. Government aid money is often called assistance. For example, food and housing assistance are both federal programs that assist people in making ends meet.
- Program. SNAP is a federal program that is available to residents of all 50 states in the U.S. If you live in New York, for example, you would have to apply for SNAP benefits through your local social services agency. (Here is the NY website, where you can find the location nearest to you, in case you are interested!)
Some of you may remember the term “food stamps,” which is what SNAP used to be called.
As a part of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 — which is also known as the 2008 U.S. Farm Bill — the Food Stamp Program was renamed SNAP. The reason they renamed the program is that the term “food stamps” started to pick up a negative reputation.
The government also wanted to shift the focus toward nutrition. This is why you can only purchase essential foods, such as meats, bread, dairy products, and vegetables. You are not allowed to purchase stuff like alcohol, prepared food, cosmetics, or pet foods.
For a full list of what items you can and cannot purchase with SNAP benefits, check this out.
