SNAP Food Stamp Participation: March 2015

As a logical consequence of the prolonged weak economic conditions, participation in the federal food stamp program remains at historic levels.

The latest data released by the Department of Agriculture indicated that in March, 38,667 individual recipients were removed to the food stamps program with the current total declining 2.84% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits declined to 44.34 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population now stands at a whopping 17.54% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits increased to 21.92 million households with the current total falling 2.52% below the level seen a year earlier

Total nominal benefit cost declined 3.33% on a year-over-year basis to $5.59 billion for the month.

SNAP Food Stamp Participation: November 2015

As a logical consequence of the prolonged weak economic conditions, participation in the federal food stamp program remains at historic levels.

The latest data released by the Department of Agriculture indicated that in November, 85,541 individual recipients were added to the food stamps program with the current total declining 1.75% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits increased to 45.45 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population now stands at a whopping 18.05% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits increased to 22.41 million households with the current total falling 1.22% below the level seen a year earlier

Total nominal benefit cost declined 2.87% on a year-over-year basis to $5.73 billion for the month.

SNAP Into Reality!

Part of today’s Kojo Nnamdi show on WAMU was dedicated to a nonsensical, “immense-government” era propaganda event currently taking the country by storm termed “SNAP the Silence” or “The SNAP Challenge” whereby participants show solidarity with the poor by attempting to live on roughly $5 a day, the equivalent of the daily stipend for a typical Food Stamps recipient.

Formally the Food Stamps program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP for short) function, as its new name directly implies, is to “assist” low income individuals and families in getting basic nutrition.

Given the simple fact that recipients are explicitly NOT expected to actually live on the assistance, what is the purpose of attempting to meet such a challenge?

Keep in mind that there are federal representatives from around the country (look up yours here) supposedly taking up this challenge and various groups participating and even producing videos that seek to strategize living on such a small sum.

For a hilarious example, watch this video of a guy who while first drawing the viewers attention to the plight of the poor and the small $5 a day stipend then goes on to suggest that he’s so far making it through the challenge “unscathed” due mostly to the fact that his “nutrition coach” has made him up a menu of “healthy and interesting meals” including such delights as “sweetened quinoa and berries”, a “tuna fish and hummus sandwich and a side salad”, and a “whole bunch” of “carrot ginger soup” which along with a diet soda came in at $4.75.

Again, the stated purpose of the SNAP program is only to provide “assistance” and is specifically not intended as the sole source of a recipient’s nutritional requirements.

With over 47 million Americans (23 million households) receiving SNAP assistance at an average individual monthly benefit of $135.72 ($281.21 per recipient household), the burn rate for just this one assistance program comes to $6.47 billion/month or $77.64 billion/year, but listening to these propagandists, you would think our country was providing little to nothing.

On The Stamp: Food Stamp Participation February 2011

As a logical consequence of the prolonged economic downturn it appears that participation in the federal food stamp program is continuing to rise.

In fact, household participation has been climbing so steadily that it has far surpassed the last peak set as a result of the immediate fallout following hurricane Katrina.

The latest data released by the Department of Agriculture shows that in February, an additional 11,517 new recipients were added to the food stamps program, an increase of 11.65% on a year-over-year basis, while household participation increased 13.97%.

Individual participation as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population has increased 10.78% over the same period.

The latest results show food stamps participation continuing to grow but at a notably slower rate and coming nearly simultaneously with a correlated decline in the total unemployment rate likely indicating that both indicators are defining a peak.

Still, participation continues to increase with nominal benefit costs climbing a lofty 11.37% on a year-over-year basis to $5.889 billion for the month.