Family Participation Rates in Nutrition Assistance Programs: 2015 Household Economics Studies Current Population Reports Liza C. Valle and Daniel J. Perez-Lopez P70BR-161 January 2020 INTRODUCTION brief, nutrition assistance refers to either participation in one of the major means-tested federal food support Millions of Americans rely on public and private sup- programs or receipt of community-based support. port to help meet their nutritional needs. This brief The federal food support programs included in this looks at family and individual participation in nutri- analysis are the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance tion assistance programs in calendar year 2015 as Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp reported in Wave 3 of the 2014 Panel of the Survey Program; free or reduced-price meals provided by of Income and Program Participation (SIPP).1, 2 In this the School Breakfast Program and the National ¹ The U.S. Census Bureau reviewed this data product for School Lunch Program; and the Special Supplemental unauthorized disclosure of confidential information and has Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children approved the disclosure avoidance practices applied to this release. CBDRB-FY19-POP001-0032. (WIC). Community-based nutrition assistance includes ² In this report, we determined family participation in these nutri- food support offered by government social service tion programs if the family was present in the survey in the month of December 2015 and if any family member received benefits at agencies, community or religious charitable organiza- any time during calendar year 2015. WIC and free or reduced-price tions, family, friends, or some other entity. breakfast or lunch programs had additional requirements such as the presence of children under the age of 5 and children between the ages of 5 and 18, respectively. Figure 1. Number of U.S. Families Participating in Nutrition Assistance: 2015 (In millions) ­ ­ SNAP Free or reduced-price WIC Community-based school breakfast or lunch nutrition assistance Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) 2014 Panel, Wave 3. RESULTS Figure 1 shows that in 2015, 20.8 WHAT IS SIPP? million families participated The Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) is a nation- in SNAP, 15.0 million in free or ally representative panel survey administered by the U.S. Census reduced-price school breakfast Bureau that collects information on the short-term dynamics of or lunch, 5.2 million received WIC employment, income, household composition, and eligibility and participation in government assistance programs. It is a lead- benefits, and 5.5 million partici- ing source of information on specific topics related to economic pated in community-based nutri- well-being, family dynamics, education, wealth and assets, health tion assistance.3, 4 insurance, childcare, and food security. Each SIPP panel follows Table 1 presents family partici- individuals for several years, providing monthly data that measure pation rates for SNAP.5 In 2015, changes in household and family composition and economic cir- cumstances over time. For more information, please visit the SIPP approximately 20.8 million fami- Web site at <www.census.gov/sipp>. lies, or 14.8 percent of the 141.1 million families in the United States, participated in SNAP. Table In 2015, approximately 30.0 participation rate of 8.0 2 shows family participation rates percent of the 17.4 million families percent.7 in the free or reduced-price school with children under the age of 5 • Families with three or more breakfast or lunch programs for participated in the WIC program children under the age of 18 families with children aged 5 to and 3.9 percent of the 141.1 mil- had higher participation rates 18. In 2015, approximately 46.4 lion families in the United States in SNAP (36.9 percent) than percent of the 32.3 million families (approximately 5.5 million fami- those with fewer children. with children aged 5 to 18 par- lies) received community-based ticipated in the free or reduced- nutrition assistance. • Approximately 44.9 percent price school breakfast or lunch of families whose incomes programs. HIGHLIGHTS were below 100 percent of their poverty threshold Table 3 shows participation rates SNAP 8 in the WIC program for families received SNAP benefits. • Families with a female refer- with children under the age of 5 ence person without a spouse and Table 4 shows rates of com- present had the highest 7 Federal surveys, including the 2014 munity- based nutrition assistance. SIPP Panel, give respondents the option of participation rate in the SNAP reporting more than one race. These data program in 2015.6 can be shown in two ways: (1) as mutually 3 The estimates in this report (which may exclusive from other race groups, which be presented in the text and tables) are may be denoted by “alone,” or (2) not based on responses from a sample of the • Married-couple families were mutually exclusive with other race groups, population and may differ from the actual less likely to participate in denoted by “alone or in combination with values because of sampling variability other race groups.” In this brief, we use the and other factors. As a result, apparent SNAP than other families. first method. differences between the estimates for two 8 Following the Office of Management or more groups may not be statistically • Families with a reference per- and Budget's Statistical Policy Directive significant. All comparative statements 14, the Census Bureau uses a set of money have undergone statistical testing and are son aged 65 and older were income thresholds that vary by family size significant at the 90 percent confidence less likely to participate in and composition to determine who is in level, unless otherwise indicated. poverty. If a family's total income is less than 4 The estimates for WIC and community- SNAP than were families with the family's threshold, then that family and based nutrition assistance are not signifi- younger reference persons. every individual in it is considered in pov- cantly different. erty. The official poverty thresholds do not ⁵ The Census Bureau generally defines vary geographically, but they are updated a family as two or more individuals living • Families with a Black, non- for inflation using the Consumer Price Index together and related by birth, marriage, or Hispanic reference person had (CPI-U). The official poverty definition uses adoption. Unrelated individuals are defined money income before taxes and does not as people of any age who are not mem- a SNAP participation rate of include capital gains or noncash benefits bers of families. For the purposes of this 29.1 percent, while families (such as public housing, Medicaid, and food analysis, we treat unrelated individuals as stamps). one-person families. See <www.census.gov with an Asian, non-Hispanic In 2015, 100 percent of the poverty /programs-surveys/cps/technical reference person had a SNAP threshold for a family of four with two adults -documentation/subject-definitions and two children was $24,036, and 200 .html#family> and <www.census.gov percent of the threshold was $48,072. For /programs-surveys/cps/technical additional details, see <www.census.gov -documentation/subject-definitions 6 Family reference person refers to the /topics/income-poverty/poverty/guidance .html#unrelatedindividuals>. parent or designated adult in a family. /poverty-measures.html>. 2 U.S. Census Bureau FREE OR REDUCED-PRICE SCHOOL BREAKFAST OR DESCRIPTION OF NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS LUNCH Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Of families with a child aged 5 Administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) to 18 who has not yet graduated Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), SNAP is, in terms of number of from high school: people covered and federal funds spent, the largest nutrition pro- • About 68.3 percent of fami- gram offered to low-income individuals and families. Individuals lies with a female reference must apply in the state in which they reside. Each state has its person with no spouse present own application, and income and resource requirements may received free or reduced-price vary. Qualified individuals receive their SNAP benefits on an school breakfast or lunch, Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card that can be used to buy while 52.0 percent of families groceries at authorized food stores and retailers. The EBT can with a male reference person also be used to purchase food in participating farmer’s markets.1 with no spouse present par- ticipated in these programs. Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): The WIC program, also administered by • Families where the reference FNS, provides grants to states for supplemental foods (such as person was between the ages iron-fortified formula, milk, vegetable and fruit juices), health of 15 and 34 had a higher care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income preg- participation rate (65.0 per- nant and postpartum women, as well as for infants and children cent) in free or reduced-price under age 5. Applicants must meet residence and nutrition risk school breakfast or lunch requirements.2 programs than those in which the reference person was 35 School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program or over. (SBP and NSLP): The SBP and NSLP, funded by FNS and admin- istered by local school food authorities, provide free or low-cost • Families with three or more breakfasts and lunches in schools and residential childcare insti- children between the ages of tutions. Families can apply for free or reduced-price meals at any 5 and 18 had higher participa- time during the school year, and eligibility is based on household tion (63.1 percent) in free or income and family size. Children in families that receive SNAP reduced-price school break- and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families are automati- fast or lunch programs than cally qualified for free school meals.3 Moreover, there are some families with fewer children in schools and school districts in low-income areas that additionally that age range.