Webinar: Access to SNAP/Food Stamps: What it Means for Your City

Posted by on August 17, 2009

NLC sets audioconference on food stamp access

The National League of Cities has scheduled a audioconference call on Increasing Access to SNAP/Food Stamps: What it Means for Your City on Wednesday, September 9th from 1-3pm.

The call is part of the NLC Family Economic Success Network series and will focus on the importance of increasing access to food stamps at the local level.  It coincides with the release of the Food Research  and Action Center’s most recent report, SNAP/Food Stamp Access in Urban America: A City-by-City Snapshot and the launch of FRAC’s new Web-based tool for calculating program participation in local areas.

SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, helps millions of families access the food they need to be healthy and productive. In these economic times, more and more families are in need of food assistance.

Many of these families have never received food stamps before but are now forced to seek help due to a job loss or other economic hardship. Often, however, eligible individuals and families are not enrolled, resulting in a loss of substantial benefits for families. Moreover, cities miss out on millions in federal matching dollars, as well as the economic activity generated by the increased spending power provided to residents by SNAP/Food Stamp benefits.

Despite SNAP outreach efforts in some cities and communities, participation gaps remain. National estimates indicate that only about two in every three eligible individuals receive SNAP/Food Stamp benefits.   City leaders and community-based organizations are well-positioned to promote awareness about SNAP/Food Stamps, connect families to benefits, and bring more dollars into their local economy.

The call will include national experts from FRAC to discuss the economic case for increasing participation in SNAP/Food Stamps, as well as strategies and resources cities can use to promote awareness of and enrollment in the program.

To call in, dial 877-366-0711 and enter Conference Code: 70357236#.  To register for the call, email Laura McComas at [email protected].