Recent research shows the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, may avert deep and widespread hunger, but it does not ensure Americans' optimal health. The author of a new Altarum Institute blog suggests supplementing SNAP with healthy food incentive efforts.
The author of the blog is Kate Fitzgerald, an expert who works on federal policy linking family farms with consumers to achieve better public health and economic opportunity.
"The challenges of hunger and food insecurity are complicated in the United States by the seeming paradox of millions of families that are overfed but undernourished," Ms. Fitzgerald wrote.
One supplemental healthy food effort Ms. Fitzgerald highlighted is Fair Food Network's Double Up Food Bucks. Fair Food Network is a nonprofit sustainable food startup. The Double Up program provides low-income shoppers up to an additional $20 per day incentive to buy produce when they use their SNAP benefits on locally grown fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets and grocery stores.
Already, preliminary data from a trial in Detroit using Double Up shows participants took advantage of the additional food dollars earned by purchasing high-quality fruits and vegetables and by trying new foods. Many participants also reported a positive environment and shopping experience.
"Low-income American families should not have to choose between being hungry and being healthy," Ms. Fitzgerald wrote. "Implemented well, SNAP local produce incentive programs such as Double Up are an effective way to ensure families do not have to make that choice."
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