SNAP Usage on the Decline

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The number of people participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has steadily declined over the last few years to its current low. As of June 2016, 43 million people have accessed SNAP benefits compared to a record high of 48 million in 2013; this is a drop of nearly 4.4 million people.

In 2013, nearly 8 million Latinos participated in SNAP and comprised 16% of all SNAP benefits. Since 2007, the number has largely been between 16% and 17%. Nearly 30% of all Latino children currently live in food-insecure households. The 89 counties in 2013 with majority Latino households make up 3% of all counties in the U.S.; 27% of these are counties with the highest rates of childhood food insecurity.

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The downward trend is both encouraging and not surprising, as SNAP was designed to respond to the state of the U.S. economy overall. Over the years, SNAP has expanded and contracted its benefits based on the economic conditions of the time. As the economy is still recovering from the recent recession, the data has shown that household incomes are on the rise. SNAP benefits are expected to continue reducing.

The SNAP Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) programs have also been designed to help individuals find jobs and allow people to transition off of SNAP. Unlike other workforce programs, SNAP E&T targets low-skilled workers or those who often face legitimate barriers to finding and keeping stable employment.