Five Facts You Need To Know About SNAP

As the 42 million Americans who receive federal food assistance struggle to figure out how to make ends meet during the government shutdown, two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to continue funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, nationwide. The Agriculture Department said it would run out of money to fund the program on November 1, but the judges ordered the government to use the contingency funds earmarked for SNAP.

President Trump has responded to the judges’ ruling, posting on Truth Social that he had “instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.” The nation’s budget is at the heart of the government impasse between Republicans and Democrats, which has lasted 31 days.

As the debate continues, here’s what you need to know:

1. White Americans make up over 35% of SNAP recipients. African Americans comprise 26% of the participants, Hispanics are over 16%. Asians are nearly 4% and Native Americans a little over 1%. Due to incomplete reporting, the race of 17% of recipients is unknown.

2. In 28% of SNAP households, the recipients had earned income or jobs. The number increases to 55% when there are children.

3. According to The New York Times, the 10 states with the largest proportion of SNAP recipients are: New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, New Mexico, Louisiana, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Nevada.

4. Four in five SNAP households or 80% include a child, an elderly person or someone with a disability.
5. The average SNAP benefit per person is $190.59 per person per month or $356.21 per household per month as of September 2024.