Anti-hunger groups routinely report that food stamp benefits are inadequate and run out before the end of the month. An Urban Institute analysis says Congress narrowed the gap when it increased benefits by 15 percent because of the pandemic, but they do not cover the average nationwide cost of a meal, which is $2.41, in more than four of every 10 counties in the nation.
The shortfall exists in high-cost urban areas, such as New York and San Francisco, and in rural counties, such as Blaine County, home of Sun Valley ski resort, in south-central Idaho.
Before the increase, SNAP benefits did not cover the average meal cost in 96 percent of counties. “Our findings show the maximum SNAP benefit still leaves a gap in covering the cost of food for many families with low incomes,” said Elaine Waxman, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute. “About four in 10 families receiving SNAP have zero net income. If SNAP does not cover the cost of a meal, people in such households will be at a high risk of experiencing food insecurity.”
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which funded the research, said the temporary increase in SNAP, which expires on Sept. 30, should be made permanent. “We should take additional steps, such as updating the Thrifty Food Plan, to ensure that SNAP benefits cover the cost of a meal for every participant in every county during the pandemic and beyond,” said Jamie Bussell, senior program officer at RWJF.
At latest count, 42.3 million people were enrolled in SNAP with an average benefit of $227 a month per person.
The Urban Institute study is available here.