Barriers to Food Stamps in New York State: A Perspective from the Field

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae, and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. Although the Food Stamp Program provides nutritional assistance to families and individuals in need, barriers to access, eligibility , and receipt of food stamp benefits do exist. Minimizing and potentially eradicating significant barriers requires a better understanding of which barriers are the most prevalent and persistent and a plan for addressing them. Using data from 73 community based organizations in New York State over a 4-year time period, the authors identify barriers that are most frequently mentioned and do not abate over time. A number of recommendations are presented to address barriers in general and the specific barriers that were identified. The Food Stamp Program (FSP) has been an important safety net for those facing temporary or long-term economic hardship since 1964. The purpose of the program, now known as Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is to " raise levels of nutrition among low-income households " (Food Stamp Program, 2008). SNAP serves 10.3% of the population (Loveless, 2010) and more than one half of the households receiving benefits include children (Committee on Ways and Means, 2008). Recent economic hardships (precipitated by the Great Recession) and federal policy changes (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) have resulted in an increase in participation of low-income households, yet not all eligible family are participating in the program (Nord & Prell, 2011). Additionally, challenges to food security— confidence in having enough food at all times—remain, especially among children and vulnerable households (Lombe, Yu, & Nebbitt, 2009). The literature identifies numerous barriers to food stamps (FS) including access issues, stigma, problems with the distribution process, and errors in benefit payment. This study sets out to further this research through the following: (1) comparing the literature on existing barriers to FS with …