MODELING A BETTER PLAN TO REDUCE HUNGER

New research using innovative simulation modelling techniques demonstrates that SNAP, WIC, and School Lunch Program are key components of a plan to reduce food insecurity. The research finds that:

• If SNAP benefits were increased by basing the calculation on the Low Cost Food Plan, SNAP-participant families with children would have an 8% increase in purchasing power for food. This would result in 5.3% of currently food-insecure people in families with children becoming food secure.
• If WIC age-eligibility were increased to age 6, 2.2% of newly eligible 5-year-olds’ families would increase their food purchasing power. This change would result in 1.5% of WIC-eligible food-insecure 5-year-olds and their families becoming food secure.
• Over 13% of all children whose family food purchasing power was increased by their participation in the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs shifted into a higher income-to-poverty-ratio category. This resulted in 1.7% of food-insecure families of students participating in school lunches and 1% of food-insecure families of students participating in school breakfasts to become fully food secure in 2014.

Source: Children’s Health Watch, 9/20/16, Modeling Change