The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest federal food assistance initiative in the United States. As of 2024, over 41 million Americans rely on SNAP, from single-parent households to seniors, across every state and U.S. territory.
TL;DR SNAP is a federal program that helps low-income Americans afford food through monthly benefits. It was previously known as the Food Stamp Program and now uses EBT cards instead of paper coupons. SNAP reduces food insecurity, boosts public health, and stimulates local economies. Eligibility is based on income and household size; benefits can be…
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is a federal program that provides monthly benefits to help low-income households afford food.
“Food stamps” was the name for a federal food assistance program used from 1939 until it was rebranded as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) in 2008.
SNAP originated from responses to food insecurity during the Great Depression. The first food stamp pilot launched in 1939, allowing participants to buy food using color-coded stamps.
