Hunger Studies: Final Exam

Advantages of charity

- "feel good"; makes the community feel like they're helping others in the community - advocacy creates social change

Photo ID with SNAP EBT Card

- Many people feel as though it would help stop people from selling the EBT benefits

Challenges of SNAP

- many people may not understand the application - language barrier

School Breakfast Program

-Nutritional Assistance Programs - 96% of RI schools participate -Eligibility - free: income below 130% of FPL - reduced: income below 185% of FPL - subsidized: all other meals

Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2016

-bill introduced to Congress that addresses the meal gap by raising SNAP benefit levels which would match the actual cost of food - until this bill is passed there will continue to be a demand for emergency food assistance

Rhode Island Standard of Need

- Calculates a household budget for families with two young children and single adults; budget includes costs of housing, food, transportation, health care, child care and other necessities - Demonstrate how minimum wage, food assistance, tax credits, child and health care subsides help close the gap between basic need expenses and income

WIC (Special Supplemental Food Program for Womens, Infants, and Children)

- Nutritional Assistance Program - Eligibility - women (either pregnant or lactating) - infants or children up to five years of age - income below 185% of FPL - Nutritional Risk

Case Study: A woman is married with two children. Her co-workers are hoping for a raise yet she avoids attracting attention to herself because she does not want a raise. Both her and her husband work low-wage jobs, which average to $18/hr (combined). Why is this apparently irrational decision of not wanting a raise actually quite reasonable?

- due to the strict levels with various programs such as CCAP and SNAP (and more) many people fear exceeding the annual income required to be eligible for these programs - a slight increase in wages may decrease or completely stop their benefits however is not enough to replace the new bills or increase in bills - this leads to a vicious cycle

Supplemental Security Income Program ( SSI)

- federal cash assistance program for low-income seniors and people with disabilities who have limited resources and income - although federal portion is adjusted for inflation each year the state portion is not

Emergency Food Network

- food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters - 51% rely on volunteering - is not a permanent solution - large portion of food are donations; not reliable - cannot solve food insecurity nor hunger - the foods provided do not meet the proper nutritional needs - cannot meet cultural or dietary needs - poor access to transportation - in effect way of redistribution - not a social norm

Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)

- helps pay for early learning programs for children and after-school care - eligibility: - parent must be working for at least 20 hours per week and have an income less than 180% of the FPL - maintain eligibility until the income excits the "exit income limit" of 225% FPL - this results in parents turning down a raise or extra hours to avoid earning a small amount over the limit due to the high expenses of child care without assistance - families above the exit limit struggle to make ends meet and must choice between bills

Why do some people not use SNAP?

- lack of knowledge - stigma - believe they are not eligible - application difficulties - interview difficulties - documentation difficulties

Disadvantages of charity

- realistically cannot solve the issue of hunger or food insecurity

Rhode Island Works Program (RI Works)

- state's cash assistance and work-readiness programs for families with children - cost of living has rose however monthly benefit amounts have not

How is a college student eligible for SNAP?

- works average 20 hr/week - work a work study job - have a child under the age of twelve - have a disability

Household Characteristics of SNAP

1. 2/3 % are children, elderly or have disabilities 2. Most live in major metropolitan areas but almost 20% live in smaller cities or rural areas 3. Majority don't receive cash welfare benefits 4. SNAP households have little income 5. Average monthly benefit received by SNAP decreased 6. Most participates have jobs 7. Households are small - mostly 1 person 8. SNAP has a powerful antipoverty effect

Seven Deadly Ins

1. Insufficiency 2. Inappropriateness 3. Inadequacy 4. Instability 5. Inaccessibility 6. Inefficiency 7. Indignity

RI Standard of Needs: Key Findings

1. Raising a family in RI is expensive 2. Many RI households don't earn enough to make ends meet 3. Inadequacy of the FPL as a measure of economic security - outdated and no longer the reality 4. Increasing the minimum wage would close the gap between earnings and RISN expenses (especially for single adults) - would need to be raised to $12.38 5. Government funded work support programs - child care assistance and health care assistance 6. Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) ensures working parents can afford safe and consistent care for their children 7. Cash assistance through RI Works or SSI has significant gaps between income and living expenses

SNAP Eligibility

Determined based on: - household size - income (earned and unearned) - deduction -standard deduction; set amount -earned income; 20% -court ordered child support; can be deducted from income -medical expenses (elders deduct medical bills -depends on care costs -shelter expenses -resources

Food Security

Exists when all people at all times have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritional foods that meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life

SNAP Benefits

Increases purchasing power - improves nutritional status - allows for adjusted household budgeting - accommodates personal food preferences - provides research to low-income people to acquire food with dignity Economical input - over $300 million federal dollars annually - 1.84 multiplier effect; generates economy

Food Insecurity

Limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire foods in socially accepted ways

Inadequacy

Nutritionally the food that is provided does not have the best qualities; when nutritious food is provided it is scarce

SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)

Provides benefits in the form of an EBT card and allows participants to shop in their local markets which preserves choice and dignity - Eligibility - working families - children - seniors - disabled - immigrant families - various single adults - benefits purchase more foods and healthier foods than low-income households without access to SNAP

RI Community Food Bank

Sources of food: - 57% donations (food companies, supermarkets, farms and food drives) - 33% purchased - 10% federal commodities People served: - 33% are children under 18 - 20% are over the age of 60 - 44% have one or more employed adults in a household - Operate due to a large volunteer support - Challenge: meeting the demand for emergency food assistance since food donations have decreased

Why would the Food Bank (charitable organization) emphasize on using government programs rather than their own?

The Food Bank cannot provide enough food to all of those that are in need - SNAP, School Meals and WIC account for more than half of meals provided - If the benefit levels for SNAP are increased then the money given will match the actual cost of foods

Inappropriateness

The foods that are provided do not always cater to cultural and dietary differences - ex: diabetes; kosher

Inefficiency

The redistribution process of the food collected is poorly done; first the food is collected then sent to a large center - once processed the food is then distributed across RI - is not a direct help towards the community surrounding you

Insufficiency

There is not enough supply for the demand of food

Instability

This is not a permanent issue; people are allowed to visit once a month or are allotted a certain amount of food per each month - still considered as an "emergency food" whereas most people rely on these programs

Indignity

This is not a social norm; many people feel ashamed or frowned upon by others to use the Emergency food network

Inaccessibility

Transportation is an issue for those that do not have a car or an available bus line; not reliable - due to the fact that it is primarily volunteers there may not be enough people to run the shelter or pantry; not always guaranteed they will come

Hunger

Uneasy or painful sensation caused by a lack of food; recurrent and involuntary lack of access to food due to limited resources

Recommendation/Flaws: Nutritional Assistance Programs

WIC - there should be higher price allotments for fruits and vegetables Food Stamps - the amount that is given to each family per month is too low and doesn't allow families to fully give the nourishment needed School Breakfast/Lunch - only temporary; child is able to have a meal during school year however must find a replacement for these meals during school vacations/summer