The Food Stamp Program (renamed SNAP — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is the cornerstone of the nation’s safety net and nutrition assistance programs. It currently provides over 40 million participants in more than 18 million low-income households with debit cards they can use to purchase food each month. Because eligibility is not restricted to specific subgroups of people, the Food Stamp Program serves a wide range of low-income households, including families with children, elderly people, and people with disabilities. Participants include families with adults who work in low-wage jobs, unemployed workers, and people with fixed incomes, such as Social Security. About 75 percent of food stamp recipients live in households with children. Nearly one-third live in households with seniors or people with disabilities.

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