The New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute’s new analysis, The Potential Impacts of Proposed SNAP Eligibility and Work Requirement Changes on Food Insecurity, reviews the current success of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the risks posed, especially to children, by these proposed federal policy changes.
SNAP provides tens of thousands of Granite Staters with means to purchase enough food. About one in eight children across New Hampshire benefit from SNAP, and 73,959 individuals were enrolled as of August 2019. For children in particular, SNAP helps alleviate food insecurity and provides a foundation for children to develop in their youth and succeed throughout their lives .
Recent policy proposals at the federal level threaten to disenroll thousands of households in the Granite State.
The analysis finds that current program requirements and eligibility guidelines are in place to promote work among individuals receiving assistance who can work, and to reach the most households in need. Current proposals surrounding the reduction of work requirement waivers and changes to eligibility guidelines threaten the effectiveness of SNAP. Proposals that would disenroll households in need of assistance would be counterproductive to the program’s success in helping individuals and families in unstable financial situations obtain food.
The New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute produces regular reports on the fiscal and economic challenges facing New Hampshire and strives to serve as a resource to anyone interested in meeting those challenges in a fair and sound fashion.
Funding for this report was provided by the New Hampshire Children’s Health Foundation. The research helps inform the foundation, partners and stakeholders about current issues affecting children and families in New Hampshire.