Food stamps support many Americans differently. However, what may be less known are the positive effects of these programs on the community and the beneficiaries. Despite various challenges, the government has supported millions of needy people through food stamps. Some of the positive effects of this strategy include the following:
 

1. Food Stamps Ensure That Low-Income Americans Have Access to Nutritious Food

The programs improve overall health and wellbeing by providing low-income Americans with access to nutritious food. According to various studies, participants are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables than those who do not receive the benefits. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes.
 

2. Food stamps boost the economy by stimulating job growth

People enjoy healthier and more productive lives when they access nutritious food. It benefits the individuals and families who can put food on the table and positively affects society and the economy. When people are healthy, they can work more and earn a higher income, boosting tax revenue and creating jobs.
 

3. Food Stamps Improve Children's Health and Academic Performance

Children who have enough to eat perform better in school. They miss fewer school days and are more likely to graduate from high school and college. Eating nutritious food also helps children's developing brains and bodies grow properly. The government launched the first food stamp program in 1939 to help low-income families during the Great Depression. Today, it feeds children through the National School Lunch Program, which provides free or reduced-price lunches to more than 30 million children daily.
 

4. Food Stamps Reduce Food Insecurity and Hunger

The government continues to combat food security by expanding the food stamp programs. It works with like-minded partners to increase program enrollment and to support families through the provision of food assistance. In addition, the USDA has implemented nutrition education initiatives to help low-income households stretch their food dollars and make healthier choices.
 

5. They Give Low-Income Earners a Sense of Pride

Beneficiaries know they work hard to provide for themselves and their families. They feel good about themselves because they try to make things work, even with limited resources. However, when people receive food stamps, they feel like the government is helping them. They appreciate the assistance and feel grateful for it.
 

6. They Provide an Important Safety Net for Low-Income Households

The programs provide a strong safety net that very few understand because they have never needed to rely on them. Low-income people often live hand-to-mouth, spending all their income as soon as they receive it and have no savings to fall back on during tough times. It makes them vulnerable to economic downturns, job loss, and other emergencies.

Food stamps help these households make ends meet by providing them with extra money to spend on food. The program also gives recipients some financial stability, which can help them find and keep a job, afford to house, and pay for other necessities. All these form the building blocks for a successful and thriving community.
 

7. Food Stamps Reduce Crime

A hungry community is a desperate community, and people struggling to survive commit crimes to get food. However, food assistance programs help reduce crimes by ensuring people have enough to eat. Although some people remain calm despite hunger, others become irritable and desperate. For example, most refugee camps have a higher crime rate than the surrounding areas as people try to get enough survival food.

Most hungry people engage in crime due to mental challenges. The beauty is that, as mentioned earlier, food assistance programs lift people out of poverty, reducing crime rates. Some opponents to the food assistance programs claim that the programs make people lazy. However, research indicates that food assistance increases the work effort of low-income earners.

The above information clears the air on the positive effects of food stamps on both the beneficiaries and the community. Although some people may abuse the system, the majority use it as intended to put food on the table for their families. The government continues to increase partnerships with grocery stores and other vendors to ensure food insecure families have access to healthy food.

See if you are eligible for food stamps / SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) here