1. St. Louis Area Foodbank
2013 All Agency Conference

2.  Supplemental
 Nutrition
 Assistance
 Program

3.  Formally the Food Stamp Program
 A Federal assistance program that helps low
income households purchase healthy food.
 FY 2012 51 million people per month

4.  Benefits are placed on a LINK card (like a
debit card)
 SNAP puts benefits on card once a month
 Programs to help clients learn about healthier
food options and exercise

5.  Every $5 in new SNAP benefits = $9.20 in
local economic activity.
 On average, $1 billion of retail food demand
by SNAP recipients generates 3,300 farm
jobs.
 5% increase SNAP participation rate
nationwide = 2.1 million more low-income
people would have an additional $973 million
in benefits each year to purchase healthy
food.

6.  Clients can still qualify even if they receive
other benefits.
 Average monthly SNAP benefit per person is
$133.85, or less than $1.50 a meal.
 SNAP currently reaches only 56 percent of
eligible working poor households.
 Half of all new participants will leave the
program within nine months.

7.  48% of all participants are children
 79% of all benefits
go to households with children
 58% of households with children are headed
by single parents
 $711 is the average gross monthly income per
SNAP household

8.  90% of poor older adults – 87% of
households with elderly are eligible
for SNAP benefits
 11.4% (over 5 million seniors)
experienced some form of food
insecurity
 76%
of SNAP households included an
elderly person or a disabled person.

9.  Myth: “I have a job; therefore, I do not
qualify.”
 Myth: “If I received SNAP, I would not be able
to receive food from a pantry.”
 Myth: “I have been denied before, so I won’t
be able to get them now either.”

10.  Myth: “SNAP is a welfare program.”
 Myth: “Other people need SNAP benefits
more than I do.”
 Myth: “I only get $8 and it isn’t worth it.”
◦ Minimum in IL is $16

12. People in Maximum Gross Monthly Maximum Gross Monthly
Household Income Income (Age 60 & Over or
Disabled)
1 $1,211 $1,862
2 $1,640 $2,522
3 $2,069 $3,182
4 $2,498 $3,842
5 $2,927 $4,502
6 $3,356 $5,162
7 $3,785 $5,822
8 $4,214 $6,482
9 $4,643 $7,142
10 $5,072 $7,802

13. Other Factors:
 Citizenship or immigration status
 Household Expenses
◦ i.e. utilities, rent or mortgage, medical, child care,
etc.
 Non-work Income
◦ i.e. child support, Social Security, SSI, Veterans
Affairs benefits, etc.

14.  Apply online or submit a paper application to
local DHS.
 2-3 Weeks – client will receive a letter in the
mail with date and time of DHS
 Interview
◦ Interview – face-to-face or via phone
◦ Interview – must submit all necessary documents

15.  30 Days – client will receive a letter
explaining eligibility status. If client is
eligible, the amount of monthly benefits will
be disclosed.
 40-50 Days – if client is eligible, a LINK will
be mailed to them and must be activated.
 6 months – 1 year after clients receives card,
client will need to renew SNAP benefits -
notified via letter

16.  Identity
◦ Examples: birth certificate, driver’s license, etc.
 Residency
◦ Examples: utility bills, rental agreement or
mortgage statement
 Immigration Status
◦ Examples: Immigration or naturalization papers

17.  Medical Expense Deduction
◦ Examples: billing statements, Medicare card
indicating Part “B” drugs, etc.
 Earned Income
◦ Examples: pay stubs, income tax forms, statement
from employer as to gross wages
 Unearned Income
◦ Examples: bank statements showing direct deposit,
letter showing money received for Social Security,
SSI, child support, etc.

18.  Distributing accurate information
 Pre-screening clients
◦ Eligibility calculator
 Application assistance
◦ Online (Illinois)
◦ Paper applications
 Universal – 2378B (IL)
 SNAP – 0683 (IL)
 Redetermination

19.  Help dissolve common misconceptions or
negative feelings towards SNAP
 Lack of staff
 Lack of space
 Knowledge / Training

20.  Client Choice
 Reduce strain on food pantry supply
 Providing additional assistance to clients in
need
 Opportunity for progression/growth

21.  Overcoming negative feelings towards SNAP
or DHS/DSS
 Misinformation
 Transportation

22.  Client Choice
 Chance to put food on the table for their
children
 Keep elderly family members independent
 Make transition to self-sufficiency

23.  Support local food retailers
 Generate economic activity
◦ $5 in new SNAP = $9.20 in community spending
 Support farms
 Leverage Federal funds
 A 5 percent increase in SNAP participation =
$1.8 billion total in new economic activity
Nationwide

24.  Hosting STL Foodbank SNAP Outreach
Coordinator
◦ Help advertise to clients
◦ Help advertise within your community
 Providing accurate information and materials
◦ Work to change perceptions of SNAP
 Refer clients to available services

25.  Training sessions
◦ With STL Foodbank Coordinator
◦ Application Assistance
 Healthy buying and budgeting workshops

26.  Stay informed and up-to-date on legislation
pertaining to SNAP
◦ i.e. Farm Bill
 Write to local legislators

27.  Seniors - vulnerable population that can
sometimes be overlooked
 Senior centers and residential housing
facilities
 Partnering with Meals on Wheels program
◦ Homebound Seniors – home visits and provide
application assistance

28.  Children
◦ School pantries
◦ Partnering with School districts in our service
territory

29.  USDA Food and Nutrition Service
http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/faqs.htm
 Feeding America
http://www.feedingamerica.org
 National Hunger Hotline
1-866-3-HUNGRY
 DHS (IL) or DSS (MO)
◦ http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=30357
◦ http://www.dss.mo.gov/fsd/fstamp/

30.  Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program Households: Fiscal Year
2009, USDA FNS
 Feeding America
http://blog.feedingamerica.org/tag/snap/
 Illinois Hunger Coalition
http://www.ilhunger.org/programs.html
 SNAP “Putting Healthy Food Within Reach:
State Outreach Toolkit”, USDA FNS
 “The Benefits of Increasing SNAP Participation
In Your State”, USDA FNS