Facts & Figures
SNAP is an Important Federal Nutrition Program!
SNAP helps hungry children:
Nearly 50% of SNAP recipients are children 18 years of age and younger.
SNAP helps working, low-income households:
40% of SNAP recipients live in a household with limited earned income through employment; among the nearly 46 million Americans living at or below the federal poverty threshold, 20 million have incomes below 50% of poverty ($12,000 or less per year for a family of four).
SNAP works for Southern Nevada:
Clark County residents make up 75% of the state’s population and account for 75% of the SNAP benefits which then contribute to our local economy.
SNAP often provides all, or most, of the monthly household food budget:
Of the monthly funds available to the typical family, 27% (gross income plus SNAP benefits) comes from their SNAP benefit.
The average SNAP benefit in the United States was $272 in 2009. The average SNAP benefit in Nevada in 2010 for an individual was $122 and, for a family, $260 per month. Many seniors on fixed incomes only qualify for the minimum benefit of $16 per month.
SNAP offers a large return on investment:
The USDA published a report on SNAP’s impact on local economies. For every $1 spent in SNAP benefits, $1.80 is generated through local economic activity. This activity creates and sustains jobs through the purchase of goods and services. In FY2010, SNAP recipients in Nevada received $414,596,369 in benefits which stimulated the economy by $746,273,464.
Local businesses benefit from SNAP:
One example of a business that relies on SNAP redemptions for about 10% of their revenue is 7-Eleven. Convenience is key for many low-income individuals for whom transportation may be an issue. During the month of May 2011, 158 stores redeemed $908,136 in benefits for foods including milk, cold/frozen chicken, cold sandwiches, cereal and water. Over a year’s time, 7-Eleven can estimate more than $10 million in revenue through SNAP redemption, which is about 2.6% of the total benefits received in Nevada.
SNAP currently has the lowest rate of fraud in the history of the program, ensuring that public funds are appropriately utilized:
In 2009, the USDA reported that SNAP trafficking (fraud) has declined largely due to diligence in investigations. Less than one cent per dollar is fraudulently redeemed.
SNAP can make program improvements:
Each state is required to make determinations of benefits based on eligibility criteria. Failure to approve eligible applications, or over/under payments and timeliness of application determinations are all considered error rates. Nationally, error rates have never been lower than they are today. Nevada does have an error rate that exceeds the national average. Nevada also spends less administratively on each case than the national average. This is an area in which we advocate for program improvements.
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