Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Making the Case for Paid Family Leave

2023

Paid family leave is essential for promoting health equity and supporting family well-being. Extensive research has shown that paid family leave programs have a positive impact on adult and child mental, physical, and financial health, and the vast majority of people in America are in favor of paid leave.

Changing the Narrative to Change the Policy: Ending Hunger in America

2022

This brief represents the insight and expertise of people with lived experience and their solutions to address poverty and hunger in America.

Policy Solutions to End Hunger in America: Calling on the White House for Radical Strategy Change

2022

This policy brief outlines the solutions necessary to make true and lasting change regarding food insecurity and diet-related health through both specific programmatic changes and larger-scale philosophical shifts. 

Systemic Challenges to Implementing Universal Basic Income

2022

This policy brief explains the fundamental issues with public assistance programs such as SSI and SSDI that are creating barriers to executing Universal Basic Income on a larger scale outside of current pilot programs.

SNAP Participants Collaborative: Improve SNAP Benefits to Promote Health and Reduce Hunger

2021

Participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are the true experts on the program. In this brief, they summarize the current challenges of the program and offer specific policy recommendations to improve its ability to address food insecurity across the United States. 

Universal Basic Income: Key to Reducing Food Insecurity and Improving Health

2021

This policy report highlights the challenges of the current public benefits programs in addressing poverty and provides an overview of universal basic income as a viable solution, including results from almost 50 years of guaranteed income pilot programs.

Farm Bill and SNAP: What It Means For You

2018

This brief provides a simple overview of the proposed 2018 changes to the Farm Bill and how they could impact SNAP.

Keeping Children's Weight on Track: A Pathway to Health and Well-Being

2018

This 2018 report examines weight trajectories among 2,719 children interviewed by Children's HealthWatch.

Freedom from Hunger: An Achievable Goal for the United States of America

2015

To identify solutions to hunger, Congress created the bipartisan National Commission on Hunger to provide policy recommendations to Congress and the USDA Secretary to more effectively use existing programs and funds of the Department of Agriculture to combat domestic hunger and food insecurity. This report is a summary of the findings of public hearings from eight cities and over 180 testimonies.

Making SNAP Work for Families Leaving Poverty

2014

SNAP is effective in reducing food insecurity. However, this 2014 report shows that when SNAP is reduced too quickly or families are cut off of SNAP because of an increase in income, they experience greater hardships than those who consistently receive SNAP. 

Steadying the Foundation: Maternal Job Stability, Safety Net Programs and Young Children's Health

2014

This 2014 Children's HealthWatch report explores the impact of mothers' job instability on her mental and physical health and the health and development of her children.

Cost of Cutting SNAP

2013

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is America's first line of defense against hunger, but as shown in this report, it is not enough for many families to make it through each month.

Punishing Hard Work: Consequences of Cutting SNAP Benefits

2013

This 2013 Children's HealthWatch report looks at the “cliff effect” related to nutrition assistance programs and offers policy recommendations that would ensure families can climb to economic independence and not “fall off a cliff” when they begin to make progress toward self-sufficiency.

The SNAP Vaccine: Boosting Children's Health

2012

This 2012 report examines the impact of SNAP on the health of young children, specifically among those from immigrant families, and provides recommendations to improve the program to better meet the needs of families.

The Real Cost of a Healthy Diet

2011

This 2011 report looks at the cost of a healthy diet by examining the affordability and accessibility of food for those receiving SNAP benefits, based on the USDA's Thrifty Food Plan.

Too Many Hurdles: Barriers to Receiving SNAP Put Children’s Health at Risk

2011

This Children's HealthWatch report from 2011 looks at how barriers to accessing SNAP put children’s nutrition, health, and growth at risk. 

Earning More, Receiving Less: Loss of Benefits and Child Hunger

2010

This 2010 report shows that families who lose SNAP or TANF benefits when they exceed income eligibility limits experience higher rates of child food insecurity than those receiving benefits.

Healthy Families in Hard Times: Solutions for Multiple Family Hardships

2010

Families experiencing multiple hardships suffer negative health effects that have life-long consequences; this June 2010 study shows that as the number and severity of hardships increase, so do risks to children’s health and development.

Coming Up Short: High food costs outstrip food stamp benefits

2008

This research report looks at the cost of a healthy diet by examining the affordability and accessibility of food for those receiving SNAP benefits, based on the USDA's Thrifty Food Plan. Philadelphia-specific data are also presented