A ARP PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE JULY 2020 Fact Sheet Millions of Adults Ages 50 and Older Rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Olivia Dean, Lynda Flowers, and Carlos Figueiredo AARP Public Policy Institute The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—the former food stamp program—is the nation’s most important anti-hunger What Is a SNAP program and a vital lifeline for millions of people, including adults Household? ages 50 and older at risk for food insecurity (a consistent lack of food due to inadequate financial resources).2 In 2018, 9.8 million adults Eligibility for SNAP is ages 50 and older were food-insecure,3 and SNAP provides financial determined at the household resources for many to buy the food they need. level. A household can Because SNAP is designed to respond to the needs of low-income populations, it is a particularly important program during the current be composed of a single COVID-19 pandemic and associated economic downturn, which individual or a group of has already led to more people qualifying for the program due to people who live together reduced or lost incomes. The program is linked to lower rates of and purchase and prepare food insecurity and improved health outcomes, including reduced hospitalizations among low-income older adults.4 food together. The This Fact Sheet describes selected characteristics of SNAP households household typically must that include adults ages 50 and older and the minimum and apply for the program maximum benefits that these households receive.5 State-level data are using aggregate income, included in the appendices. expenses, and assets Characteristics of SNAP Households with Older Adults to determine household eligibility and benefit Almost Half of SNAP Households Have an Older Adult. amount.1 In 2018, 44 percent (8.7 million) of all SNAP households included at least one eligible adult age 50 or older. That share varied by state, from state and territory, from 30 percent in Guam to 54 percent in Hawaii, Florida, and Maine (appendix A, table 1). The number of older adults facing food insecurity is likely to grow in coming years as the population ages and the number of older adults living in poverty is expected to increase.6 A ARP PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE JULY 2020 Most Older SNAP Enrollees Live Alone. on average consumption while meeting adequate In 2018, 77 percent of SNAP households that nutrition and price targets.10 The TFP varies by included an eligible adult age 50 and older were household size, with larger SNAP households single-person households. The average SNAP receiving larger benefit amounts. SNAP households household size among this group was 1.4 people.7 are expected to spend about 30 percent of their net income on food. Thus, a monthly benefit allotment However, household size varied by state and is calculated by multiplying net monthly income by territory, from 1.2 people in several states to 0.3 and subtracting that amount from the maximum 1.9 people in Guam and Kentucky (appendix A, monthly allotment for household size (see sample table 2). calculation). One-Fifth of Older SNAP Households Include Nearly One-Third of Older SNAP Households an Older Person with a Disability. Receive the Maximum Benefit. Food insecurity is more common and more severe SNAP households with no net income receive among households that include individuals with the maximum SNAP benefit allotment for their disabilities, making these SNAP households with household size (see maximum allotments by older adults with disabilities some of the most household size in appendix B).11 These lowest- vulnerable.8 In 2018, over one-fifth (21 percent) of income households do not have disposable income SNAP households comprised of one or more eligible available to purchase food and often rely solely on adults ages 50 and older included at least one older SNAP. adult with a disability.9 The share varied from In 2018, nearly a third (30 percent) of households 1 percent of older SNAP households in Guam to that included at least one eligible older adult 36 percent in New Hampshire (appendix A, table 2). received the maximum benefit (appendix A, table 3). This share varied by state, from 13 percent SNAP Benefits in Idaho to 54 percent in California. On average, SNAP Benefits Are Based on a Very Low-Cost SNAP households with at least one adult age 50 and Food Plan. older received $144 per month in 2018 (appendix A, SNAP benefits are calculated using the Department table 3).12 of Agriculture’s Thrifty Food Plan (TFP), a very The maximum benefit of $194 in 2018 for a one- low-cost food plan that is supposed to be based person household equates to approximately $2.13 Sample SNAP Benefit Calculation for a Two-Person Household Sarah is 52 years old and lives with her 16-year-old daughter. Their net monthly income, after subtracting deductions, is $200. With 30 percent of their net income being $60, the maximum benefit in 2019 for a family of two is $355. The maximum benefit ($355) minus 30 percent of her household income ($60) is $295. Her family’s monthly household benefit is $295. 2 A ARP PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE JULY 2020 per meal (appendix B).13 However, in 2018, people receiving the minimum benefit must still meet the who were food insecure reported spending an SNAP gross income requirement, which is income average $3.09 per meal.14 Thus, even the maximum at or below 130 percent of the Federal Poverty Level SNAP benefit was likely insufficient for many (about $16,600 for a single-person household in households even before the pandemic caused an 2020). While the minimum benefit can help, it is a economic downturn. small supplement that only covers about five meals a month.16 One in Six Older SNAP Households Receive the Minimum Benefit. A Critical Safety Net for Older Adults Now The federal government has established a nominal More than Ever SNAP benefit floor. In 2020, that minimum SNAP SNAP is a critical federal safety net program that benefit is $16 per month for one- and two-person helps millions of older adults, including many with households in the 48 contiguous states and the disabilities, put food on the table. The program is District of Columbia. The minimum benefit is taking on heightened importance in the midst of higher in Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, and the Virgin the current COVID-19 pandemic. Between February Islands due to higher cost of living.15 While and March 2020, when the pandemic first hit the most SNAP households with adults ages 50 and United States, overall SNAP enrollment increased older receive more than the minimum benefit, by nearly half a million people—or over 150,000 16 percent received the minimum benefit in 2018. households.17 Significant unemployment coupled The share receiving the minimum benefit varied with an unprecedented economic downturn and by state, from 1 percent in Hawaii to 30 percent higher food prices due to the pandemic’s disruption in Wisconsin (appendix A, table 3). Of all SNAP in the food supply chain have made it even more households receiving the minimum benefit, three- difficult for many low-income older adults to quarters (77 percent) are households with adults afford food.18 Data presented in this Fact Sheet ages 50 and older. demonstrate a significant need for SNAP among People who qualify for the minimum benefit are households comprised of older adults prior to the still low-income households. SNAP households pandemic, and the need is even greater now. 3 A ARP PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE JULY 2020 Appendix A TABLE 1 Enrollment of SNAP Households with Adult(s) Ages 50+, 2018 Total SNAP Households SNAP Households with Share of SNAP Households State (All Ages) Adult(s) 50+ with Adult(s) 50+ Alabama 353,641 145,562 41% Alaska 39,208 15,836 40% Arizona 377,417 143,353 38% Arkansas 160,754 64,098 40% California 1,911,088 644,621 34% Colorado 219,004 96,760 44% Connecticut 218,675 108,945 50% Delaware 66,686 30,781 46% District of Columbia 67,914 30,526 45% Florida 1,631,500 878,540 54% Georgia 699,316 273,698 39% Hawaii 82,344 44,138 54% Idaho 69,357 28,452 41% Illinois 904,490 413,980 46% Indiana 270,264 117,138 43% Iowa 161,023 56,861 35% Kansas 99,152 42,101 42% Kentucky 279,176 121,906 44% Louisiana 400,769 157,809 39% Maine 85,169 46,077 54% Maryland 341,219 161,831 47% Massachusetts 447,410 220,993 49% Michigan 671,909 307,146 46% Minnesota 208,174 88,776 43% Mississippi 230,217 97,378 42% Missouri 331,026 139,168 42% Montana 54,584 24,197 44% Nebraska 74,808 28,475 38% Nevada 225,535 89,851 40% New Hampshire 42,636 18,023 42% New Jersey 376,341 201,203 53% New Mexico 213,573 87,036 41% New York 1,519,966 803,880 53% North Carolina 607,498 249,071 41% North Dakota 24,488 10,054 41% Ohio 697,725 327,304 47% Oklahoma 259,519 94,075 36% Oregon 357,641 169,756 47% Pennsylvania 945,598 468,901 50% Rhode Island 91,083 44,341 49% South Carolina 301,342 133,082 44% South Dakota 39,794 14,705 37% Tennessee 462,921 192,745 42% Texas 1,595,483 639,283 40% Utah 75,715 24,767 33% Vermont 40,637 21,197 52% Virginia 342,214 162,018 47% Washington 495,465 216,069 44% West Virginia 162,965 75,661 46% Wisconsin 323,094 146,718 45% Wyoming 12,736 4,975 39% Guam 15,189 4,486 30% Virgin Islands 13,574 5,784 43% United States 19,699,024 8,734,131 44% Note: SNAP households with adults 50+ refer to households with at least one eligible adult 50+. Source: AARP Public Policy Institute analysis of SNAP Quality Control data, 2018 4 A ARP PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE JULY 2020 TABLE 2 Characteristics of SNAP Households with Adult(s) Ages 50+, 2018 Average Single-Person Households Households with 50+ State Household Size (%) Adults with Disabilities (%) Alabama 1.4 81% 27% Alaska 1.6 73% 16% Arizona 1.4 74% 17% Arkansas 1.4 76% 31% California 1.4 70% 5% Colorado 1.3 82% 21% Connecticut 1.2 84% 22% Delaware 1.3 81% 25% District of Columbia 1.2 89% 19% Florida 1.3 76% 15% Georgia 1.3 80% 25% Hawaii 1.6 72% 17% Idaho 1.3 78% 32% Illinois 1.3 79% 16% Indiana 1.3 82% 29% Iowa 1.3 85% 27% Kansas 1.5 72% 26% Kentucky 1.9 56% 28% Louisiana 1.4 77% 25% Maine 1.3 81% 27% Maryland 1.2 84% 21% Massachusetts 1.2 83% 26% Michigan 1.3 82% 29% Minnesota 1.3 84% 30% Mississippi 1.3 82% 26% Missouri 1.7 56% 29% Montana 1.4 75% 26% Nebraska 1.3 81% 27% Nevada 1.3 79% 13% New Hampshire 1.3 81% 36% New Jersey 1.3 76% 18% New Mexico 1.5 72% 17% New York 1.3 83% 21% North Carolina 1.4 74% 19% North Dakota 1.5 74% 32% Ohio 1.3 84% 26% Oklahoma 1.8 57% 23% Oregon 1.3 77% 20% Pennsylvania 1.3 80% 23% Rhode Island 1.5 58% 18% South Carolina 1.5 65% 24% South Dakota 1.4 80% 27% Tennessee 1.4 79% 27% Texas 1.3 82% 18% Utah 1.5 75% 22% Vermont 1.7 58% 24% Virginia 1.3 82% 26% Washington 1.2 84% 23% West Virginia 1.6 61% 26% Wisconsin 1.6 63% 28% Wyoming 1.3 79% 22% Guam 1.9 53% 1% Virgin Islands 1.6 75% 5% United States 1.4 77% 21% Note: SNAP households with adults 50+ refer to households with at least one eligible adult 50+. Source: AARP Public Policy Institute analysis of SNAP Quality Control data, 2018 5 A ARP PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE JULY 2020 TABLE 3 Benefits among SNAP Households with Adult(s) Ages 50+, 2018 Average Receiving Maximum Receiving Maximum Receiving Minimum State Monthly Benefit SNAP Benefit (#) SNAP Benefit (%) SNAP Benefit (%) Alabama $130 23,698 16% 18% Alaska $249 5,468 35% 23% Arizona $146 43,785 31% 19% Arkansas $116 11,070 17% 26% California $176 347,166 54% 12% Colorado $146 28,409 29% 17% Connecticut $160 49,431 45% 13% Delaware $118 7,843 25% 26% District of Columbia $131 11,810 39% 18% Florida $148 243,434 28% 13% Georgia $126 62,021 23% 20% Hawaii $310 8,070 18% 1% Idaho $106 3,731 13% 23% Illinois $156 138,222 33% 12% Indiana $131 27,818 24% 18% Iowa $108 11,665 21% 29% Kansas $126 8,940 21% 19% Kentucky $138 24,153 20% 16% Louisiana $146 40,309 26% 10% Maine $138 10,954 24% 17% Maryland $123 36,212 22% 20% Massachusetts $153 75,922 34% 12% Michigan $146 107,341 35% 16% Minnesota $121 18,563 21% 24% Mississippi $115 22,183 23% 16% Missouri $131 24,868 18% 18% Montana $143 5,535 23% 18% Nebraska $125 6,588 23% 19% Nevada $124 25,796 29% 27% New Hampshire $124 4,361 24% 19% New Jersey $142 55,088 27% 15% New Mexico $136 19,401 22% 20% New York $176 411,266 51% 8% North Carolina $144 80,816 32% 17% North Dakota $186 3,147 31% 10% Ohio $134 88,485 27% 22% Oklahoma $115 18,480 20% 20% Oregon $143 47,573 28% 21% Pennsylvania $140 129,595 28% 21% Rhode Island $156 14,442 33% 14% South Carolina $114 23,748 18% 19% South Dakota $176 4,494 31% 9% Tennessee $131 38,157 20% 21% Texas $118 110,683 17% 17% Utah $147 5,854 24% 14% Vermont $149 8,187 39% 14% Virginia $128 33,122 20% 18% Washington $139 54,461 25% 16% West Virginia $118 16,392 22% 24% Wisconsin $110 30,829 21% 30% Wyoming $144 1,124 23% 13% Guam $352 2,226 50% 2% Virgin Islands $225 1,592 28% 12% United States $144 2,634,531 30% 16% Note: SNAP households with adults 50+ refer to households with at least one eligible adult 50+. Source: AARP Public Policy Institute analysis of SNAP Quality Control data, 2018 6 A ARP PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE JULY 2020 Appendix B: Maximum Monthly SNAP Allotment for All Households, 2018 Maximum Benefit People in Household Maximum Monthly Allotment Per Person Per Meal 1 $194 $2.13 2 $355 $1.95 3 $509 $1.86 4 $646 $1.77 5 $768 $1.65 6 $921 $1.68 7 $1,018 $1.59 8 $1,164 $1.59 Each additional person $146 N/A Note: Allotments are different in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. Maximum benefit per person per meal was calculated by: 1) Assuming each person eats three meals per day, multiply three meals by the number of people in the household to total household meals per day. 2) Multiply total household meals per day by number of days per month (30.4167) to get total household meals per month. 3) Divide the maximum monthly allotment for the household size by the total household meals per month to get the maximum benefit per person per meal. Source: “SNAP Eligibility”, U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, August 2019, https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/recipient/eligibility. 1 For eligibility purposes, individuals who are ages 60 or older and are unable to purchase food and prepare meals with others in the household because of a permanent disability may be considered a separate SNAP household if the aggregate income of the other individuals they live with is less than 165 percent of the Federal Poverty Level for their household size. 2 “Definitions of Food Insecurity,” U.S. Department of Agriculture, September 2019, https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food- nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/definitions-of-food-security/. 3 J. Ziliak and C. Gundersen, “The State of Senior Hunger in America in 2018,” Feeding America, 2020, https://www. feedingamerica.org/sites/default/files/2020-05/2020-The%20State%20of%20Senior%20Hunger%20in%202018.pdf; J. Ziliak and C. Gundersen, “Hunger among Adults Age 50–59 in 2018: An Annual Report,” Feeding America, 2020, https://www. feedingamerica.org/sites/default/files/2020-05/2020-Hunger%20Among%20Adults%2050-59%20in%202018.pdf. 4 Laura J. Samuel et al., “Does the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Affect Hospital Utilization among Older Adults? The Case of Maryland,” Population Health Management 21, no. 2 (April 2018): 88–95, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC5906726/. 5 While the U.S. Department of Agriculture defines elderly as ages 60 and older, this Fact Sheet uses the terms “older households” to refer to SNAP households with adults ages 50 and older. 6 “SNAP Helps Millions of Low-Income Seniors,” Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, April 26, 2017, https://www.cbpp.org/ research/food-assistance/snap-helps-millions-of-low-income-seniors. 7 While most households with older adults are single-person households, some households have two or more people, raising the average to 1.4 persons per household. 8 Alisha Coleman-Jensen and Mark Nord, “Disability Is an Important Risk Factor for Food Insecurity,” U.S. Department of Agriculture, May 2013, https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2013/may/disability-is-an-important-risk-factor-for-food- insecurity. 9 These are likely underestimates, as SNAP’s disability criteria rely heavily on receipt of government disability payments. 7 A ARP PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE JULY 2020 10The TFP has not been revised since 2006 and several reports point to its weaknesses, such as unrealistic food affordability and availability assumptions. “Replacing the Thrifty Food Plan in Order to Provide Adequate Allotments for SNAP Beneficiaries,” Food Research and Action Center, December 2012, https://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/thrifty_food_plan_2012.pdf. 11Net income refers to gross income minus allowable deductions. For example, elderly or disabled members may deduct medical expenses that are over $35 for the month. More information on deductions is available at: “SNAP Eligibility,” U.S. Department of Agriculture, https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/recipient/eligibility. 12There are differences in average monthly allotments by state, impacted largely by household size. In addition, because of the high cost of living in Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, and the Virgin Islands, these states and territories have different income eligibility requirements and benefit maximums. 13The maximum benefit is higher in Alaska, Guam, Hawaii and the Virgin Islands due to higher cost of living. 14“Map the Meal Gap 2020: A Report on County and Congressional District Food Insecurity and County Food Cost in the United States in 2018,” Feeding America, June 2020, https://www.feedingamerica.org/sites/default/files/2020-06/Map%20the%20 Meal%20Gap%202020%20Combined%20Modules.pdf. 15“Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) Information,” U.S. Department of Agriculture, https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/allotment/ COLA. 16Based on the average amount spent per meal by people who were food insecure in 2018 ($3.09). 17“SNAP Data Tables,” U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, March 2020, https://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/ supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap. 18Olivia Dean and Lynda Flowers, “As Pandemic Wears On, Food Challenges Are Increasing for Many Older Americans,” AARP Public Policy Institute, July 1, 2020, https://blog.aarp.org/thinking-policy/as-pandemic-wears-on-food-challenges-are- increasing-for-many-older-americans. Fact Sheet 653, July 2020 © AARP PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE 601 E Street, NW Washington DC 20049 Follow us on Twitter @AARPpolicy on facebook.com/AARPpolicy www.aarp.org/ppi For more reports from the Public Policy Institute, visit http://www.aarp.org/ppi/. https://doi.org/10.26419/ppi.00106.001 8