Food assistance program Flashcards
Food Insecurity
- Unable to obtain enough food to meet physical needs, every day due to insufficient money or other resources for foods.
–11% of U.S. households
-In households below poverty level, 36% experience food insecurity
- High rates of obesity
- cost of foods
Obeisty and food insecurity
- Cost of fast foods vs. fresh produce
- access to foods
- Grocery stores, farmers market- access limited in some areas
- Poor quality produce
corner stores fast foods- usually plentiful
- Acess to physical activity
- Safe parks and playgrounds
- Well maintained sidewalks
Cycle of devlopment and overreacting
eating less skipping meals
-stretch foods- budget may overact when does become available;e
chronic ups and downs may lead to weight gain.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap Program)
- AKA food stamps
- Largest US food assistance program
- 45.8 million people on food stamps
average $132 per person on a single month
Participants receive benefits to purchase food in authorized retail food stores
- Benefits via Electronic Benefit Transfer card (similar to ATM card)
- Benefits are inversely related to income
Restrictions- Cannot buy alcohol, cigarettes, pet foods vitamins or hot foods
History of SNAP
- 1939: distributed orange (any food item) and blue (USDA surplus foods) stamps
- 1961: eliminated stamps for surplus foods
- 1964: Food Stamp Act
- –Each state developed eligibility standards
- –All food except alcohol and imported foods were allowed
- Discrimination was prohibited
- The 1980s: elimination of sales tax on food stamp purchases, eligibility for homeless, more nutrition education
- 1996: place a time limit on food stamp receipt for healthy adults with no dependent children
- The 2000s: phased out Food Stamp name to SNAP (reduce stigma)
SNAP Eligibility Criteria
- Household: one containing people who live together and purchase and prepare meals together
- Monthly gross income test: household income NYS= $2213 monthly gross income. household income is <130% of the poverty line
- Asset - households assets, cars stocks, savings or retirement aren’t considered.
- Many people don’t participate because of stigma, transaction costs, and the small benefits (some families get $10 per month)
Maximum SNAP Allowance- maximum money family 4 gets is 640$
household of one gets 192$ monthly
SNAP Budgeting
Many families run out of monthly allotment before the end of the month
Suggestions
- Increase budget allotments
- Biweekly or weekly disbursements
- Education on shopping
Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
- Goal: to provide supplemental nutritious food during critical growth and development (pregnancy, postpartum period, infancy, early childhood up to age 5)
- Provides: food, nutrition education, referrals to other health and social services
- Targets low-income, nutritionally at-risk pregnancies
- 45% of all infants born in the US served by WIC
Congress authorizes a specific amount of funding each year
2,000 local agencies
10,000 clinic sites
Food vouchers to be used in authorized stores.
5.4 billion and 3.9 billion goes to food coat the rest goes to administrative costs
WIC Eligibility
-Pregnant or postpartum women, infants, children
- Meet income guidelines: <185% poverty threshold
- –
WIC Research Studies
Benefits of WIC program- Studies that compared WIC participants with individuals that meet criteria for WIC but did not participate in the program
-Fewer gestational age births
-babies born on time but underweight
lower infant mortality rates
increased birth weights
increased nutrient intake
the decrease in material animea
WIC Food Provides
Vouchers for: Fortified breakfast cereals Iron-fortified baby cereal and formula milk cheese eggs beans peanut butter
Calcium and vitamin D 100% fruit and veggies whole grains Fruits veggies
Some clinics provide vouchers to be used at framers markets-Formula
WIC Priority
Pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and infants determined to be at nutritional risk because of medical problems
infants 6 months whos mom participated in WIC or could have participated and had serious medical; problems
Children (up to age 5) at nutritional risk because of serious medical problems
breastfeeding moms at risk due to poor diet
Wic supports brestfeeding
WIC mothers how to breastfeed their babies are provided counseling services and breastfeedings educational materials
Breastfeeding moms receive greater quantity and variety of foods than mothers who fully formula feed their infants
Breastfeeding mothers are eligible to participate in WIC longer than breastfeeding mothers
-Breastfeeding moms receive breast pumps
National School Lunch Program
- 101,000 public and nonprofit private schools participate
- Provides nutritionally-balanced, low-cost, or free school lunches
- Established in 1946: USDA administers the program
- Schools are reimbursed ($2.72 for every free lunch, $2.32 for every reduced price lunch, $0.26 for every full price lunch)
National School Lunch Program Guidelines
Must serve lunches that meet the following guidelines: <30% calories from fat, <10% saturated fat, 1/3 RDA for protein, Ca, Fe, Vit. A/C, and calories
Sodium restriction and calorie based on age <750mg per meal
