Integration of Healthy Alternatives to SNAP

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SNAP Policy Amendment Proposal: Methodology, Stakeholders & Impact

Overview

Previously, I have submitted a proposal to make the SNAP program a vehicle that will not only feed the poor and the millions in need but also as one that can be utilized to help resolve the dangerous issue of Adult obesity in the US. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known via its former reference the 'Food Stamp Program' had been feeding millions of Americans since its inception in 1939. Due to recent economic downturn that affected (and still continues to affect) much of America and the world, the program is more needed than ever. To emphasize its impact and value to those in need, I have cited from my previous paper as follows -

"The current state of privation in the US, brought on by the recession of 2009 is set at 15.1% or 46.2 million for 2012 according to the US Census Bureau. Their report also iterated a sad fact - almost 20% of American kids live in poverty so that the families they belong to rely heavily on food stamps to keep them fed. Because the SNAP food stamp program is currently merged with other public welfare programs like cash assistance, families benefit hugely since most of the 'funds' that they wish to access is accessed via electronic transfer through 'ATM' cards that function like debit cards through the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system. Reducing theft and diversion, the new system allowed for 47.7 million Americans received$74.6 billion in 2012. What has began as an undernourished program in 1939 to help 'folks in the city' that were impoverished has now become an essential that feeds millions of impoverished and hungry in America, with an average help of $150-$200 allotment per household per month (Holt, 2012)."

Handed out by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to those who qualify, the program is available to American citizens and US residents who have legal status. The thing is, there is another issue that is also affecting America - the issue of obesity. As it stands, America is home to the biggest number of obese adults in the world. The World Health Organization (2007) reported that 74.1% of adults in America are either overweight or obese and that number is extremely significant as it totals to 149.3 million broken down by sex to around 78 million men and 71.3 million women. Their study also showed that in America, those who qualify through the SNAP program register with such issues primarily because the food items that the beneficiaries of the program purchase are significantly unhealthy.

Methodology & Problem Definition

In terms of methodology, I have chosen to adapt the qualitative-interpretive methods policy research as proposed by Yanow (Miller, 2007). While the material-resource has primarily numeric data, the impact of the current policy is in the details of the food-purchase and food-consumption behavior. As such, descriptive mining lends itself well to the qualitative method. The problem as I see it is this - the food habits of SNAP beneficiaries do not at all lend itself to a healthy consumption. The program feeds but assumes that by feeding alone, by giving access to food, people are healthy. Additionally, the establishment that the EBT cards can be used are limited. As it stands, the USDA has established a program called 'Eat right when the Money's tight' - what it is a food planning guide and a selection of tips on how to plan meals with available food. But ...