As the cornerstone of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrition assistance programs, SNAP (formerly Food Stamp Program) plays a vital role in improving nutrition in the nation, particularly among low-income individuals. SNAP stands for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. SNAP serves as the first line of defense against hunger and provides crucial support to needy households and to those making the transition from welfare to work.
SNAP has initiated its own nutrition education program. The goal of the SNAP-Ed is to provide educational programs that increase, within a limited budget, the likelihood of all SNAP recipients making healthy food choices consistent with the most recent dietary advice as reflected in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPyramid. The Iowa Nutrition Network is one of over 20 agencies that report using a nutrition network to provide SNAP-Ed and coordinate it with other nutrition education.
The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) encourages states to provide nutrition education messages that focus on strengthening and reinforcing the link between food security and a healthy diet.
- USDA provides the funding for SNAP-Ed in Iowa and other states.
- States must receive approval from FNS for nutrition education plans that explain their budget and intended nutrition education activities for the year.
- While the nutrition education program is optional, FNS actively encourages states to provide nutrition education to SNAP participants and SNAP-eligible individuals.
In Iowa, SNAP is called Iowa Food Assistance. In February 2011, 54,939 households and 67,235 individuals participated in Iowa’s Food Assistance Program. This represents an 8% increase in individual participation since February of 2010. The average benefit per individual is $149.63 per month. Iowa Food Assistance helps low-income Iowa families buy nutritious food for a healthy diet.
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