SNAP benefits

Many groceries rely on customers with food stamps, especially in low-income and rural areas.

A pandemic-era program allowed schools to provide free meals for all students. Since it ended, some students have been racking up unpaid meal debt.

Each SNAP dollar generates $1.50 in economic activity.

Earlier this month, the USDA notified states they need to make big changes to SNAP eligibility, work requirements, and who’s covering all the costs.

Thousands of grocery stores around the country rely on customers who pay with SNAP benefits. Some could close because of cuts Congress just approved to the food assistance program.

SNAP, otherwise known as food stamps, only provides around $6 a day per person on average — and lawmakers recently moved to spend even less on the program.

Most SNAP benefit cards still have magnetic stripes, which are less secure than newer chip cards.

Online grocery delivery can be a lifeline for SNAP recipients who have disabilities or lack reliable access to transportation.

The USDA’s new Summer EBT program fills gaps left by its existing Summer Food Service Program, where families only get free meals at a specific site.

In more than a dozen states, less than 80% of SNAP applications are being processed on time. Before the pandemic, the numbers were much better.