Food Stamp Program History

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Background SNAP’s creation in 1964 was not the first food stamp program (FSP) in American history. In fact, the program hinged on prior success with food stamps. In 1939, the United States was still battling the Great Depression, and as a result, there was a food surplus and widespread unemployment. These conditions led to the United States experimenting with a food stamp plan. The plan worked by giving out stamps to the needy who applied, who then used the stamps by exchanging them for a food product. These foods are typically cheaper and in surplus. Still, a wide range of foods were available for stamp exchange, varying from eggs to pork to fruits (DPLA). This FSP lasted from only 1939 to 1943, but these four years made a substantial impact. …show more content…
Even during its inception in 1964, SNAP “prohibited against discrimination on bases of race, religious creed, national origin, or political beliefs” (USDA). Notably, in the same year, the Civil Rights Act was passed, which was the “most sweeping civil rights legislation since Reconstruction” (Archives). The alignment of these two events positions SNAP as a trailblazer program. As one of the first programs under the Civil Rights Act, it emerged as a benchmark of success in the fight against racism. By 1970, the FSP had expanded to US islands and territories and had also created national eligibility standards (USDA); in this SNAP addressed a former shortcoming of the program: divided and often unfair standards. The eligibility standards have changed slightly throughout the years, but in general, have specified that households must have a gross monthly income below around 130% of the federal poverty level to be eligible for SNAP (Han 467). Furthermore, the program is scaled such that households with the lowest incomes receive larger benefits than households closer to the poverty line (CBBP 3). SNAP executes two amazing ideas here. First, they make sure that not only people under the poverty line can obtain help. There is often a notion that the group just above a cutoff gets screwed the most, and is in a more unfortunate position than the people receiving help. SNAP counters this by including households over the poverty line in eligibility standards. This has been proven effective, as a substantial number of households with income between 100 and 200% of the poverty line are supported by SNAP (Han 484). Then, to ensure true equality, the program is scaled such that the poorest households receive the most help while households who meet the eligibility standards receive the least help in the program. The result is a balanced system where SNAP helps all who
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