Cutting Benefits for the Poor

1753 Words4 Pages

As the great nation we claim to be we must help one another especially in times of need, unfortunately this idea is not always shared by everyone, leading to issues such as the Food Stamp Program’s reduction of benefits to those who need them the most. In my paper, I will discuss how the Food Stamp Program was born along with the intentions and effects of its existence. In addition, I will reflect on the nation’s impact as a result to the budget cuts of the program and how this change has affected their ability to purchase food. Lastly, I will discuss the pros and cons of the food stamps program such as the correlations seen on many studies linking obesity to attribute as a result of participation along with the crucial difference food stamp benefits make for the struggling families in America.

According to Elsevier’s Journal of “Health & Place” The current Food Stamp Program began with the federal Food Stamp Act of 1964, although smaller variations of the program have existed since 1933. (Nathaniel L.DeBono n, 2012, p. 747) The program was created in an attempt to end hunger by helping families who were struggling to make hands meat so they will be able to afford groceries and utilize their income for other household expenses such as rent, transportation and clothing. In order to be eligible for the program certain criteria must be meet such as; individual’s household assets of less than $2000, gross household income below 130% of federal poverty line, immigration status, and employment status verification. According to the new guidelines of 2014 a family of four can receive a maximum monthly allotment of $632 food stamps. (USDA United States Department of Agriculture) Technology advancements have made the application process...

... middle of paper ...

...References

Jonathan D. Shenkin, M. F. (2010). Using the food stamp program and other methods to promote Healthy Diets for low income consumers. American Journal of Public Health , 1562-1564.

Nathaniel L.DeBono n, N.-F. (2012). Does the Food Stamp Program cause obesity? A realist review and a call for place-based research. Health &Place , 747-756.

Nixon, R. (2013, 09 18). Anti-Hunger Advocates Put pressure on Lawmakers Over Food Stamp Bill. The New York Times , pp. 1-3.

Severson, K., & Hu, W. (2013, 11 07). Cut in Food Stamps Forces Hard Choices on Poor. New York Times , pp. 1-4.

Tavernise, S. (2014, 01 06). Study Ties Diabetic Crisis to Dip in Food Budgets. New York Times , pp. 1-2.

USDA United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Retrieved 01 06, 2014, from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): http://usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome

Open Document