Related Topics
Background
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly the Food Stamp program) is an important benefit for lower income older adults and people with disabilities, who often live on fixed budgets that can force them to make difficult trade-offs that affect their health. Despite the importance of the program for seniors’ health and economic well-being, people over 60 have the lowest SNAP take-up rate of all demographic groups. As of 2020, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service estimated that only 59% of eligible people 60+ who live alone and just 29% of eligible older adults not living alone are enrolled in the program.1
Purpose
The purpose of the Seniors & SNAP Best Practices Handbook is to demonstrate best practices from NCOA's Senior SNAP Enrollment Initiative. These practices can be replicated by community-based organizations nationwide to assist seniors with SNAP enrollment and improve food security.
Sources
1. USDA Food and Nutrition Service. Trends in USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participation Rates: Fiscal Year 2016 to Fiscal Year 2020. December 2022. Found on the internet at https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/trends-snap-participation-rates-fy16-20report-summary.pdf
