SNAP/Food Stamps Participation in January 2010 Hits New Record: 39.4 Million Persons

One in Eight Americans Receives SNAP/Food Stamps

Recovery Act Boosts, Outreach Efforts and Smart Policy Choices Making Difference

In January 2010, SNAP/Food Stamps participation continued to break records, rising to 39,430,724 people, an increase of 452,214 individuals from December 2009, the prior record level, and an increase of more than 7.2 million people compared with the prior January.

Approximately one in eight Americans receives SNAP/Food Stamps. This is the highest share of the U.S. population on SNAP/Food Stamps.

Increases in SNAP/Food Stamps caseloads between January 2009 and January 2010 occurred in all parts of the country. Four states experienced over-the-prior January percentage caseload increases above 40 percent: Nevada (46.9%); Idaho (45.7%), Rhode Island (42.4%), and Wyoming (40%).

January is the tenth month that the SNAP/Food Stamps benefit boost, which was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), took effect and bolstered the program’s stimulative effects for local economies. ARRA raised benefits for all SNAP/Food Stamps households--for example, $80 more per month for a household of four.

The ARRA increase in benefits also bolstered the stimulative effect of SNAP/Food Stamps spending on local economies. Total spending for SNAP/Food Stamps benefits in January 2010 due to ARRA raises, other improvements, and increased program participation rose to over $5.25 billion, bringing the estimated total economic stimulative impact of SNAP/Food Stamps benefits to nearly $9.67 billion in January 2010.

Implementing SNAP/Food Stamps policies that improve program access, ensuring staff capacity to process applications, and mounting outreach campaigns to get the word out to the public can help communities maximize the federal recovery dollars available to help local families and businesses.