Friday, April 20, 2012

Use of SNAP (food stamps) rose 70% in 4 years

Use of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, originally known as food stamps, increased by 70 percent in 2011, and the number of Americans using the program would continue growing until 2014, according to a Congressional Budget Office report. Many rural residents rely on SNAP to help them buy groceries every month.

Damian Paletta of The Wall Street Journal reports spending on SNAP rose to $72 billion last year, up from $30 billion in 2007. The CBO said one in seven people received SNAP benefits last year, and two-thirds of the increase in spending was directly related to increased enrollment in the program. Another 20 percent of the increase was attributed to the 2009 economic stimulus.

The agency estimated the number of people using SNAP will decrease in 2014 because the economy will improve, but enrollments are forecast to remain high. In 2022, CBO estimates, 34 million people will be using SNAP, and spending on it will be the nation's most expensive support program for low-income people that is not related to health care. (Read more)

No comments: