Millions of adults ages 50 and older rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Collection:
- Health Policy and Services Research
- Series Title(s):
- Fact sheet (AARP Public Policy Institute)
- Author(s):
- Dean, Olivia, author Figueiredo, Carlos, author
- Contributor(s):
- AARP (Organization), issuing body. Public Policy Institute (AARP (Organization)), issuing body.
- Publication:
- Washington, DC : AARP Public Policy Institute, December 2021
- Language(s):
- English
- Format:
- Text
- Subject(s):
- Aged Food Assistance -- statistics & numerical data Middle Aged Poverty COVID-19 -- economics State Government United States
- Genre(s):
- Technical Report
- Abstract:
- The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the nation’s largest antihunger program and a lifeline for millions of people, including adults ages 50 and older, who are at risk for food insecurity (i.e., limited or uncertain access to adequate food). SNAP provides financial assistance to low-income individuals and families to help buy the food they need. The program reduces food insecurity and poverty and is linked to improved health outcomes, including reduced hospitalizations among low-income older adults. Because SNAP is designed to respond to the needs of low income populations, it has been a particularly important program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of people enrolled in SNAP during the pandemic and associated economic downturn, which likely played a role in keeping the share of adults ages 50 and older who were food-insecure unchanged at 8 percent (or 9.5 million people) during that time period. This Fact Sheet describes selected characteristics of adults ages 50 and older who participate in SNAP and the benefits their households receive. The paper includes analysis of SNAP participants ages 50 to 59 as well as those ages 60 and older, and state-level data are included in the appendices.
- Copyright:
- Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY-NC-ND license. (More information)
- Extent:
- 1 online resource (1 PDF file (11 pages))
- Illustrations:
- Illustrations
- NLM Unique ID:
- 9918383861906676 (See catalog record)
- Permanent Link:
- http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9918383861906676