The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or "Food Stamps") is our nation’s first line of defense against hunger. It's important that SNAP benefits are able to meet people’s needs.

Who SNAP Helps

SNAP helps millions of Americans with low incomes to put food on the table by providing a monthly benefit that is based on household size, income, and other factors such as housing and heating costs. SNAP is targeted to help our most vulnerable neighbors, largely serving households that include children, seniors, and people with disabilities. While SNAP is a highly effective program, the minimum benefit (just $23 per month) does not stretch far enough.

How SNAP Helps

SNAP reduces the probability of food insecurity among older adults and individuals with disabilities with low incomes, improves mental health, frees up income for expenses like housing and medications, and is associated with lower health care costs. However, particularly as we face record inflation, the minimum SNAP benefit of $20 per month is simply too low to help those on a limited budget afford adequate nutrition. To limit the depth and duration of hardship, and to help close the SNAP participation gap among older adults, Pennsylvania should increase the minimum SNAP benefit for seniors and those with disabilities to $35/month.

Take Action to Boost SNAP in PA

While SNAP is federally funded, Governor Shapiro has proposed utilizing $16 million in state dollars to increase the minimum SNAP benefit for households with elderly or disabled members by $15 per month. This would bring the federally funded minimum benefit of $23 per month up to $35 per month. Our PA state legislators must act include this proposal in the state budget due June 30.

Tell your state senator and representative: seniors and people with disabilities need help affording food!