Washington, D.C. – Bread for the World today welcomed the Biden administration’s announcement that it would permanently increase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP – formerly known as food stamps) benefits. Average benefit will rise more than 25 percent from pre-pandemic levels beginning in October. All 42 million participants in the SNAP program will receive the additional assistance.
The increase is a result of a reexamination of the mathematical model used to calculate SNAP benefits mandated by the 2018 bipartisan Farm Bill, and from an executive order issued by President Biden in January. The Biden administration asked the USDA to revise the Thrifty Food Plan to better reflect the modern cost of a healthy diet. A USDA study published earlier this summer found that nearly nine out of 10 SNAP participants reported facing difficulty achieving a healthy diet, with the most common issue being the cost of healthy foods.
“Bread for the World thanks the Biden administration for boosting SNAP benefits to better reflect the needs of families. More than three-quarters of families use up their benefits in the first half of the month. As a Christian organization committed to the flourishing of all, God calls on us to help our neighbors who are struggling and experience hunger, and this increase will help millions of families get more food and the healthier nutrition they need.”
