Data Provider: NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
Economic Security
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federally-funded entitlement program designed to increase the food purchasing power of low-income households to a level that allows these households to purchase a low cost but nutritionally adequate diet.
Generally, households are expected to devote 30 percent of their countable income to food, including households whose only income is from public assistance. SNAP then provides the difference between that amount and the maximum benefit. Maximum benefits are generally set at the amount needed to purchase the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Thrifty Food Plan. Income and resource limits in SNAP are somewhat higher than in public assistance programs, allowing more households to be eligible for SNAP than are eligible for public assistance. Consequently, more children in New York State receive SNAP than receive public assistance.
The number and percent of children in families receiving SNAP benefits measures the extent to which children live in families that require governmental assistance to purchase a minimally adequate diet.