When the COVID-era increase to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program expires this month, millions of Americans have started getting reduced financial support to pay for food.
The purpose of SNAP, formerly called the Food Stamp Program, is to increase food availability for low-working Americans and the old and disabled. As part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act in 2020, the program was significantly extended. However, as a result of the expiration of these federal growths and expansion at the end of February, families in 32 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands will now receive at least $95 less each month, raising concerns that beneficiaries will experience greater food shortages or lack of food as the average advantage per day falls to $6.10.
Almost 42 million Americans, or 12.6% of the country, were reportedly enrolled in the program as of November 2022, based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which manages it. This number is close to 1 in 5 citizens in some states.
As of November 2022, 24.3% of New Mexico’s citizens were engaged in SNAP, more than any other state by almost 5%. New Mexico had the greatest rate of SNAP enrollment. The states with the most significant participation rates after New Mexico were Louisiana (19.5%), West Virginia (18.2%), Oklahoma (17.2%), and Oregon (17.0%).
