FOOD STAMPS - BIG BUSINESS

By Pete Abington

The Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP) is big business in Louisiana. One in five Louisiana residents it helps to feed. Marketa Waters, Secretary of the State Dept of Children and Family Services, stated that SNAP provides food aid to 400,000 Louisiana families. She said that is 860,000 of its most vulnerable residents - nearly 2/3rds of them elderly, disabled or children. She stated that many individual families cannot afford the cost of basic survival and “at $4.00 per day per person, SNAP can hardly cover the difference.” This comes to 20.2% of our population who live in poverty. The state spends $67.4 million to draw down $1.4 billion in 100% SNAP benefits to Louisiana families.

The report also commented that economic benefits of 4,500 retailers and 25,000 jobs are being created throughout the state because of this program. There is also a program called DSNAP and it provides food assistance for eligible middle income residents who are not on SNAP but need short term aid after a disaster like floods and tornadoes. We need to get our economy better to help our businesses grow and it would help us to provide people to take care of themselves and not need the state to step up as they are doing.

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