Myths about food stamps debunked

Congress has begun renewing the big Farm Bill legislation. Why does this matter to kids? Because that’s where the food stamps program, now known as SNAP, gets its support.

So the Farm Bill debate is also a hunger and child nutrition debate. That’s why it’s so important now to dispel myths about the food stamps program. Among the myths out there now is that food stamps can be overly generous, but as an article in the Austin Statesman points out, the average participant gets just $134 a month.

The article explains many of the distortions we hear about the program. For example, while policymakers who demand SNAP cuts point to the growing cost of the program, it is only growing alongside unemployment — in other words, it’s doing its job of providing a safety net to more families in tough times.

“SNAP has grown significantly in recent years. But it is only shocking that SNAP participation grew by 70 percent from 2006 to 2011 if you fail to mention that the ranks of the unemployed grew by 94 percent over the same period.”