In fiscal year (FY) 2011, SNAP served more than 46 million Americans at a cost of more than $75 billion ( FNS, 2012a).
SNAP, formerly called the Food Stamp Program, is the nation's largest nutrition assistance program and a key automatic stabilizer of family well-being during economic downturns. Nutrition assistance programs offered by USDA include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) the National School Lunch and School Breakfast (School Meals) Programs, including summer food service the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Food Assistance for Disaster Relief the Emergency Food Assistance Program the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations and food distribution programs such as the Commodity Supplemental Food Program. Department of Agriculture (USDA) includes among its goals to increase food security and reduce hunger by increasing access to food, a healthful diet, and nutrition education for low-income Americans.
