SNAP

Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, left, speaks with Ranking Member Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., during a meeting of the committee in June, to consider a bipartisan farm bill.

Trump Weighs In On SNAP Work Requirements Ahead Of Farm Bill Meeting

5:36pm September 05, 2018

by Brakkton Booker

The SNAP program, commonly referred to as food stamps, is the biggest sticking point between versions of the Farm Bill. The House, and President Trump, want it to have stricter work requirements.

With financial aid declining, many college students can't afford to eat, studies show, even though about 40 percent are also working. Nearly 1 in 4 college students are parents, which can add to their financial stress.

For Many College Students, Hunger 'Makes It Hard To Focus'

9:38am July 31, 2018

by Michelle Andrews

With rising school costs, as many as half of U.S. college students are feeling so stretched financially that they either aren't getting enough to eat or they're worried about it, studies find.

More than 2,100 drug felons were denied SNAP benefits in West Virginia in 2016. The number has more than tripled during the past decade.

National

In Some States, Drug Felons Still Face Lifetime Ban On SNAP Benefits

10:54am June 20, 2018

by Molly Born

The 1996 federal ban aimed to punish drug offenders, but research shows denying aid disproportionately affects the poor and increases recidivism. Many states have opted out or modified the policy.

House Speaker Paul Ryan praises the Agriculture Committee's work on the farm bill at a press conference on Wednesday. He was joined by (from left) committee Chairman Mike Conaway, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Majority

House Farm Bill Fails As Conservatives Revolt Over Immigration

2:38pm May 18, 2018

by Kelsey Snell

Disputes over immigration and food stamps doomed the measure. Every Democrat and 30 Republicans voted against the bill.

A box of food prepared at a food bank distribution in Petaluma, Calif. The state ranks near the bottom in enrolling people for food assistance. To change that, it's taking lessons from its robust Medi-Cal health insurance program, which targets much the s

Why Millions Of Californians Eligible For Food Stamps Don't Get Them

6:24pm May 01, 2018

The state ranks near the bottom in enrolling people for food assistance. To change that, it's taking lessons from its robust Medi-Cal health insurance program, which targets much the same population.

Leroy Bates shops at the Rising Up food pantry in Fort Morgan, Colo. Clients can visit it 13 times a year.

National

Unauthorized Immigrants Shy Away From Signing Kids Up For Food Aid

12:10pm April 27, 2018

by Esther Honig

Fearing deportation, some families eligible for SNAP would rather face food insecurity than risk enrolling in the program. Food pantries are stepping up to help unauthorized immigrants feel safe.

Hilda Herrera of New York state is one of 40,000 people who rely on the SNAP program for help buying groceries.

Republican Farm Bill Calls On Many SNAP Recipients To Work Or Go To School

7:38pm April 12, 2018

Republicans in Congress have released their version of a new Farm Bill. It imposes new requirements on low-income recipients of food assistance, but continues traditional subsidies for farmers.

DMG Foods, the Salvation Army's first supermarket, offers discount groceries to nutritional assistance beneficiaries and anyone else who walks through the door.

Salvation Army Opens First-Ever Supermarket, In Baltimore

7:41pm March 27, 2018

by Dominique Maria Bonessi

The longtime religious charity Salvation Army, known for providing clothing and shelter, is trying a new tactic to help low-income residents in Baltimore — offering them access to healthy food.

Queue Listen Now

The USDA has been providing food aid in the form of canned, shelf-stable nonperishables to Native Americans for decades.

How Might Trump's Food Box Plan Affect Health? Native Americans Know All Too Well

6:24pm February 25, 2018

by Maria Godoy

For some, the USDA's plan to deliver SNAP benefits as canned, shelf-stable food is painfully familiar. The agency has long given this type of aid to tribes, with devastating health effects.

Queue Listen Now

Rebecka Ortiz offers her daughter a pasta sample at the store where she was using her food stamps to stock up on food for her family in Woonsocket, R.I. The Trump administration is proposing drastic changes in the "food stamp" program, now called SNAP. Pe

Trump Administration Wants To Decide What Food SNAP Recipients Will Get

5:08pm February 12, 2018

The proposed changes to food stamps, now called SNAP, would be drastic: About half the benefits would be boxed-up, nonperishable foods. Recipients would lose a lot of their ability to pick their food.