Only 19% of Eligible Seniors Use California’s SNAP Food Stamp Benefit – Here’s Why It Matters
California has, historically, had issues spreading the word and increasing the adoption of CalFresh, the local name for the federally funded, state-administered Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
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Dating back to 2018, NPR wrote a story detailing why California is one of the lowest ranking states for SNAP, formerly called food stamps, benefits participation. At the time, Kim McCoy Wade, chief of the CalFresh branch of California’s Department of Social Services, called the underutilization of the program a “persistent puzzle.”
In 2022, the lack of SNAP adoption is especially affecting California seniors. Only 19% of eligible seniors use the program, according to GoldRushCam.com. Overall, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated that only 70% of eligible California residents take advantage of SNAP benefits, compared to the national average of 82%. This number hasn’t changed compared to 2018 figures, in spite of efforts by the state to increase the program’s adoption rates.
In 2011, the state declared May CalFresh Awareness Month and has since provided flyers, instructions, newsletters, social media assets, and other outreach campaigns to share the importance of SNAP benefits with low-income California residents.
Research by the University of California Cooperative Extension in San Luis Obispo in March 2022 discovered that most SNAP applicants in the state hear about CalFresh through a friend or relative, non-profit agency or a college or university.
The Health Benefits of SNAP Participation for California Seniors
SNAP participation, GoldRushCam.com reports, reduces healthcare costs for the state’s residents as a whole. SNAP has been shown to reduce food insecurity. Food insecurity has been associated with a poor diet, which can lead to chronic — and costly — preventable health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
For older adults living at or below poverty level, participation in SNAP can reduce hospital and nursing home admissions, lowering overall health care costs for the state. SNAP participation, a study published by the American Public Health Association shows, also reduces the likelihood that older adults will skip their medications due to a lack of income. That could mean fewer doctor’s office visits and less stress.
Additional Benefits of SNAP Participation
Increased SNAP participation is not just good for those eligible to receive the benefits. It also benefits the state’s economy as a whole, including farmers, co-ops, and local businesses. Studies show that, for every dollar spent on CalFresh, the state experiences $1.50 worth of economic activity.
When nutrition incentive programs like Market Match are factored into the equation, that positive impact jumps to $3, putting money directly back into the local economy while making fresh produce more affordable to all residents. Market Match is a program that matches CalFresh and WIC benefits dollar-for-dollar at 240 farm-direct sites across 40 California counties.
Increased CalFresh Benefits Coming to Eligible Residents
GoldRushCam.com estimates that Californians are missing out on tens of millions of dollars that could benefit California’s low-income seniors and families who could benefit from affordable, healthy, fresh food, and small businesses that would benefit from the infusion of money.
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Discover: When June 2022 CalFresh Benefits Disburse in California
Plus, this month, eligible California residents will receive additional CalFresh benefits through the federal Emergency Allotment program. The additional funds will be added to recipients’ EBT cards as early as June 11, according to icaliforniafoodstamps.com.
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