Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
(SNAP)
What is SNAP?
SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It is an organization that provides low income families food stamps and benefits to provide their family with food and resources.
What Caused SNAP To Form?
During the end of the Great Depression, in 1933, SNAP was established. Crop prices fell and farms across America could not deal with the excess supply. This caused struggle on families with a low income not being able to provide for their families. They decided they needed to start a program to help these people in need.
FDR Signing the Agricultural Act in 1933
Kids rioting during the Great Depression
Farmer working in the field
Formulating the Policy
The idea of SNAP came from multiple people, but U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Henry Wallace and Milo Perkins, the program's first administrator, had the biggest impact. It took 18 years of studies and legislative orders to finally create a food stamp act idea. They did a trial and soon later President Kennedy would sign on it.
Adopting the Policy
In 1961 President Kennedy signed his first executive order which started the food stamp program. This would allow the low income people a way to get food for a discounted price they could afford. Three years after this order was formed, President Johnson made the food stamp program permanent by signing the Food Stamp Act.
President Kennedy signing his first Executive Order
First Food Stamp
President Johnson signing the Food Stamp Act
Implementing the Policy
The policy created two types of stamps. There were the blue stamps and there were the orange stamps. The blue stamps provided the user to buy food that was considered regular. The orange stamps were used on food that were considered a surplus, but these stamps costed more. After a little time, food stamps were taken away, but in 1974 it was back and was expanded to all 50 states. President Carter then signed the Food Stamp Act establishing national standards of being able to receive the stamps.
Blue food stamps
Orange food stamps
President Carter signing the Food Stamp Act
How is This System Working For Americans?
SNAP is still around today and is still helping millions of people. It has helped over 5 million Americans, 2.2 of the million which are children, out of poverty in just 2012. Having this program helps and is a benefit to the people who are struggling to afford everyday needs.