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News

August 14, 2023

Social Policy Study Reveals Vital Role of SNAP for Children and Families

A recent report from the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) has provided new insight on the critical role of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the health and well-being of children and families.

About the Report

Entitled, “The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): A Vital Resource for Children, Youth, and Families,” the report combined data from existing research with insights from interviews between CSSP staff and SNAP-assisted families to build a complete picture of SNAP’s impact.

Key Findings

Key findings from the report show:

  • In 2021, SNAP reached 41.5 million people in an average month.
  • SNAP plays a critical role fighting hunger and malnutrition, and promoting economic wellbeing.
  • For families, SNAP can help lift some of the weight off parents and caregivers as they struggle to feed growing children.
  • For youth and young adults, SNAP provides some security and stability as they transition to adulthood and pursue their goals.
    • This support is especially critical for young people who age out of foster care and are disproportionately likely to struggle to afford food, as they often lose access to social services and economic supports when they leave foster care.
  • SNAP can be a critical resource for young people, helping them buy food and meet their needs as they set out on their own, further their education, embark on their careers, and form their own families.

CSSP Policy Recommendations

Though SNAP provides an enormous, essential benefit to families and youth, CSSP shared in the report that SNAP can do more to help people meet their needs and pursue their goals, offering a number recommendations. They encourage policymakers to:

  • increase benefit levels,
  • repeal the three-month time limit for adults,
  • restore access to immigrant families, and
  • lift the ban on hot food.

Learn More

To learn more, read the full report or visit the CSSP website.

Source

Information for this post was taken directly from the CSSP SNAP report. Some text may have been added, paraphrased, or adapted for readability and comprehension.

Related Content & Resources

News

June 20, 2023

Updated: Summer Food Programs Offer Free Meals to Children

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, and City of Pittsburgh Department of Parks and Recreation (CitiParks) are offering summer food programs to provide meals to children at no cost to them or their families while school is not in session.

(This article was updated on June 20, 2023 to reflect the addition of GrubUp!, CitiParks’ 2023 Summer Food Service Program).

UDSA Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)

What is SFSP?

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federally-funded, state-administered program.

The USDA works closely with states to ensure that children who receive on free or reduced-price school meals can get the nutrition they need when schools are closed – whether during summer break or unexpected closures during the school year. Through the USDA’s summer meal programs, approved sites in low-income communities across the country can serve healthy meals and snacks to kids up to age 18 at no cost.

Meals can be eaten in-person at local sites or on-the-go.

How can children participate? 

Find a summer site in your community with the USDA Summer Meal Site Finder mapping tool. Then, simply bring your child to the site nearest to you during meal times (which can be found via the USDA Summer Meal Site Finder).

Parents can also text “Summer Meals” to 914-342-7744 or call 1-866-348-6479 to find participating sites. Pittsburgh meal sites for summer 2023 currently include:

  • Calvary United Methodist Church
    • Location: 971 Beech Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15233
    • Free Meals Available: June 26 – 29
    • Hours: Monday – Thursday | 6 – 6:30 p.m.
  • Warren United Methodist Church
    • Location: 2606 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
    • Free Meals Available: June 21 – August 10
    • Hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday | 12 – 1 p.m.
  • The Bridge at Northview Heights
    • Location: 1500 Chicago Street, Pittsburgh 15214, PA 15214
    • Free Meals Available: June 26 – August 4
    • Hours: Monday – Friday | 8:45 – 9:30 a.m. and 12 – 12:30 p.m.
  • Sheridan United Methodist Church
    • Location: 2948 Chartiers Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15204
    • Free Meals Available: June 20 – August 10
    • Hours: Tuesday and Thursday | 12 – 1 p.m.
  • Trinity AME Zion Church
    • Location: 3105 Allendale Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15204
    • Free Meals Available: June 21 – August 11
    • Hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday | 12 – 1 p.m.
  • Sto-Rox Library
    • Location: 420 Chartiers Avenue, McKees Rocks, PA 15136
    • Free Meals Available: June 5 – August 10
    • Hours: Monday – Thursday | 1 – 2 p.m. and 4 – 6 p.m.

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank Summer Youth Café

What is the Summer Youth Café? 

The Summer Youth Café is is a federally-funded child nutrition program that provides healthy meals during the summer.

How can children participate?

Families can search for participating sites with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank Find Food Resources mapping tool and bring their child to any participating site during meal times.

Summer Youth Café sites for summer 2023 currently include:

  • LaRosa Youth Club
    • Location: 901 Ravine Street, McKeesport, PA 15132
    • Hours: Daily | 3 – 5 p.m.
  • Safe Passage Mckeesport
    • Location: 1406 Cornell Street, McKeesport, PA 15132
    • Hours: Daily | 3:45 – 4:30 p.m.
  • Northern Area Boys & Girls Club
    • Location: 100 Howard Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15209
    • Hours: Monday – Friday | 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
  • The Learning Hub at the Bridge
    • Location: 1500 Chicago Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15214
    • Hours: Daily | 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
  • Valley View Terrace
    • Location: 518 Dawson Street, Canonsburg, PA 15317
    • Free Meals Available: June 12 – August 4
    • Hours: Monday – Friday | 12 – 12:30 p.m.
  • Bentleyville Apartments
    • Location: 507 Old West Road, Bentleyville, PA 15314
    • Free Meals Available: June 12 – August 4
    • Hours: Monday – Friday | 12 – 12:30 p.m.

Additionally, the food bank is partnering with Moniteau, Knoch, and Karns City School Districts to host monthly summer drive-up food distributions. Anyone living within participating school district areas is encouraged to attend. For more information, please view the event flyer.

GrubUp!: CitiParks’ Summer Food Service Program 2023

What is GrubUp!?

GrubUp! is CitiParks Summer Food Service Program. It provides healthy and delicious meals (breakfast, lunch, and/or snack) through eight of Pittsburgh’s recreation centers and 30+ partner locations.

This program will run from June 21 through August 18, and be free to anyone under the age of 18 or residents with intellectual disabilities up to age 21.

CitiParks also partners with the Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) Food Service Division to provide the Mobile Food Truck, which will operate in conjunction with our Roving Art Cart every Friday to provide an additional location for Pittsburgh children to receive this valuable service.

This service is made possible by funding from the US Department of Agriculture through the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

How can children participate?

To participate, parents and caregivers simply bring their child or children to any of CitiPark’s participating recreation centers or partner locations when meal services are offered. CitiParks offers meals:

  • Ammon Recreation Center
    • Location: 2217 Bedford Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
    • Hours: Monday – Friday, | 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Brookline Recreation Center
    • Location: 1400 Oakridge Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15226
    • Hours: Monday – Friday, | 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Jefferson Recreation Center
    • Location: 605 Rednap Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
    • Hours: Monday – Friday, | 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Magee Recreation Center
    • Location: 745 Greenfield Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15207
    • Hours: Monday – Friday, | 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Ormsby Recreation Center
    • Location: 79 S. 22nd Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203
    • Hours: Monday – Friday, | 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Paulson Recreation Center
    • Location: 1201 Paulson Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
    • Hours: Monday – Friday, | 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Phillips Recreation Center
    • Location: 201 Parkfield Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15210
    • Hours: Monday – Friday, | 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Warrington Recreation Center
    • Location: 329 E. Warrington Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15210
    • Hours: Monday – Friday, | 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

To find meal service details, and Summer 2023 partner locations and food service times, view the complete GrupUp! site list.

For additional information please contact CitiParks Food Programs Office at 412.571.3291.

No Kid Hungry Summer Food Program

What is the No Kid Hungry WhatsApp?

The No Kid Hungry WhatsApp campaign gives families an easy to use technology to help families with children find the food they need.

How can children participate?

Families can access the app to get a customized WhatsApp message listing sites in their communities serving free meals for teens and kids under 18.  No registration is needed.

Families can also text “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 304-304 to find a site near them, or visit No Kid Hungry’s Free Meal Finder.

Learn More

To learn more, visit the USDA or Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank summer food program webpages.

News

March 22, 2023

Resources for Changes to SNAP Benefits

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Acting Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Val Arkoosh are reminding Pennsylvanians of federal changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that are taking effect this month.

SNAP Emergency Allotments—which were usually paid in the second half of each month—ended after February due to changes by the federal government.

In his 2023-24 budget, the governor proposed an increase to the minimum SNAP benefit for seniors and people with disabilities. The budget proposal also seeks to continue universal school breakfasts, an investment in children’s ability to learn and access to food for working families in all communities.

To address current needs, he is encouraging struggling families to utilize food assistance resources.

Proposed Increases to SNAP

The Governor’s proposed budget would increase the minimum monthly SNAP benefit for seniors and people with disabilities to $35 each month, as well as provide additional support as federal pandemic SNAP benefits end.

Additionally, it would continue universal free breakfast for all Pennsylvania students.

Food Assistance Resources

The following resources are available to families in need of food assistance:

SNAP-eligible senior citizens can benefit from the Senior Food Box Program, which provides additional shelf-stable groceries. Learn more about these programs from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Additionally, SNAP recipients who are pregnant or have kids younger than age five may be able to get help buying food from PA WIC. Call 1-800-WIC-WINS to learn more or apply online at www.pawic.com.

Find additional resources at www.dhs.pa.gov/SNAPCares.

Learn More

Though SNAP benefits are being reduced, they are not being eliminated. Anybody who already receives SNAP should reach out to DHS and update their information to ensure they are receiving their maximum SNAP benefit. Additionally, anybody struggling to afford food or who may need financial assistance should reach out to DHS and apply for SNAP.

To learn more, visit the Official Pennsylvania website.

Additional Information and Resources