Cherokee Nation
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- Website: Summer EBT Program
- Hotline: 539-234-3265 or 800-256-0671 ext. 5275
- Email: wicsebtc@cherokee.org
Washington, DC, August 6, 2013 –Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program leads to improved food security, particularly among low-income children, according to the findings of Measuring the Effect of SNAP Participation on Food Security released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service.
According to the study, among households that participated in SNAP for about six months there was a significant decrease in food insecurity. The effect was even stronger for households in which children are experiencing food insecurity. Research suggests that children in food-insecure households face higher risks of health and development problems than children in otherwise similar food-secure households.
“The results of this study reiterate the vital role of SNAP in reducing hunger and ensuring that the next generation has access to the nutritious food it needs to grow up healthy and strong,” said Agriculture Under Secretary Kevin Concannon.
USDA is focused on improving childhood nutrition and empowering families to make healthier food choices by providing science-based information and advice, while expanding the availability of healthy food.
USDA’s Economic Research Service defines food insecure households as having limited consistent access to adequate food due to a lack of money and other resources at times during the year. In households with very low food security, eating patterns of one or more household members are disrupted and food intake reduced because the household lacks money and other resources for food.
USDA's Food and Nutrition Service oversees the administration of 15 nutrition assistance programs, including SNAP, that touch the lives of one in four Americans over the course of a year. These programs work together to form a national safety net against hunger. Visit www.fns.usda.gov for information about FNS and nutrition assistance programs.