Nov 14

Nov 14 Oh SNAP! What's Going On With Food Benefits?

Photo from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.

Recently, the United States had its longest government shutdown in history. During that time, over 1.4 million governmental workers went without pay, with 670,000 furloughed, and that’s not mentioning the additional countless civilians affected. One of the biggest impacts it had was on SNAP benefits and food security. A lot of people lost their access and it had some serious effects.

An essential question to ask is what is SNAP? Sure, there’s been a lot of talk about it in the media recently, but not everyone fully understands what it is. SNAP stands for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—informally known as food stamps—which provides aid in buying food for those who meet requirements. Nationally, over 41 million people are participants (roughly 12% of the population of the U.S., or 1 in 8 Americans). More than 62% of SNAP participants are in families with children, more than 37% are in families with members who are older adults or are disabled, and more than 38% are in working families. 1.1 million college students use it too. Overall, the dependents may be more than what most stereotype them to be.

So who or what qualifies someone eligible for SNAP benefits? Well, this is a difficult question to answer because there are many qualifications one may meet, and such qualifications vary by citizenship status. One of the biggest ones is that if a person/household is at or below the poverty line, they qualify for SNAP. That is largely determined by household size and income, but there are some exceptions. Work is also a large factor, as the applicant needs to either be working or be looking for work (with few alternate options).

Non-citizens have to abide by slightly different rules, though. Generally, to qualify for SNAP, non-citizens must meet one of the following criteria: Have lived in the United States for at least 5 years, be receiving disability-related assistance or benefits, or be children under 18.

Of course, there are some groups that are the exceptions to these rules. Children, seniors, veterans, individuals experiencing homelessness, individuals aged 24 or younger and in foster care on their 18th birthday, pregnant women, and people who are exempt for physical or mental health reasons are the typical deviations.

For those dependent on SNAP for any of the reasons listed, they are limited to the purchase of food, drink, and even seeds and plants to grow food! The drinks cannot be alcoholic, and the food cannot be hot at the point of purchase. No live animals can be purchased except shellfish, fish removed from water, and animals slaughtered prior to pick-up from the store. Vitamins, supplements, and anything containing substances or tobacco (including cigarettes) is also restricted in SNAP benefits. SNAP purchases are also not able to purchase nonfood products like pet food, cleaning supplies, paper products, household supplies, or hygiene items and cosmetics.

Wisconsin very closely reflects national statistics of SNAP qualifiers. In Wisconsin, over 705,000 residents rely on SNAP (About 12% of the state population or 1 in 8 people). As of 2023, 10.7% of households were food insecure—meaning “their access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources” (Nchako 2025)—10.7% of the population lived below the poverty line, 12.8% of children lived in families below the poverty line, and 10.0% of older adults lived below the poverty line. All of whom qualified for SNAP benefits. It was also reported that such benefits took 99,000 people above the poverty line in Wisconsin, on average per year, between 2015 and 2019. (These figures adjust for households’ underreporting of benefits.) Ending SNAP benefits puts all reliant peoples at higher risk of food insecurity.

Not just that, but it negatively affects the economy when SNAP is halted. For each dollar put into the system, about $1.54 comes out in economic activity. It may not seem like a lot, but when you consider approximately $100 billion went into the program, the exchange seems much more significant. By ending SNAP, the commodity chain is affected, driving up the cost of food so those producing can make ends meet, only furthering the cycle of disruption between producer and consumer.

This also ends up putting more stress on food pantries. For those who aren’t receiving benefits any longer, they must find a way to get food. Pantries are the most reliable, free way of obtaining that. However, adding more dependents to a stressed system does not do anyone good.

Coming into a season of thanks and giving, it is important to remember everyone. Food insecurity is unfortunately common today, but there are many ways to help while SNAP is in limbo. One big help is to donate to food banks in your community. In the area, we have the Food Pantry of Waukesha Wisconsin, Sussex Outreach Services, and the Pewaukee Food Pantry. They accept non-perishable donations at each location. Another way to help is to volunteer, whether serving at a soup kitchen, working at a food pantry, or hosting a food drive.