Bridging the SNAP Gap

According to data released by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts last December, there are 700,000 people statewide who are likely eligible for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits but have not applied.

That figure is known as the “SNAP Gap,” the difference between the number of low-income Massachusetts residents receiving MassHealth who are likely SNAP eligible and the number of people actually receiving SNAP.

Benefits from SNAP (the federally funded program formerly known as food stamps), can make the difference for an individual or a family between having a meal or going to bed hungry; they can eliminate the nearly impossible decision of using what money one does have to pay the electric bill or buy food to feed themselves and their children.

Access to food should be a right, not a privilege. There is assistance available to help fill those cabinets and refrigerators. It is all of our job to spread the word to help ensure that our friends and neighbors are aware of their SNAP eligibility and how to access those benefits.

In the First Middlesex District, 21,592 of our neighbors have fallen into the SNAP Gap. That includes: 138 people in Dunstable; 524 in Groton; 17,959 in Lowell; 917 in Pepperell; 958 in Tyngsboro; and 1096 in Westford.

Why does this gap exist? Many people do not realize they are eligible for benefits. One simple way to begin bridging that gap has been proposed by Sen. Sal DiDomenico (D-Everett) and Rep. Jay Livingstone (D-Boston).

SD1015/HD1500 – An Act to Streamline Access to Critical Public Health and Safety-Net Programs Through Common Applications, has been filed by Sen. DiDomenico in the Senate and Rep. Livingstone in the House.

“This legislation will consolidate the application process for necessary health and nutrition benefits for residents of the Commonwealth, making applying for benefits less stressful and ensuring that fewer people fall through the cracks,” said Sen. Ed Kennedy (D-Lowell), a co-sponsor of SD1015. “The improvements to how the Commonwealth conducts business proposed by Sen. DiDomenico and Rep. Livingstone will create a more efficient, streamlined system, and improve the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents.”

For many years, individual benefit programs like SNAP and MassHealth have been administered separately, creating a duplication of effort in collecting the necessary documentation and processing applications.

The proposed legislation would make it possible for residents to apply for SNAP at the same time as MassHealth or the Medicare Savings Program; requires the state to take steps toward creating a “common application” for other needs-based programs like childcare, housing, and fuel assistance; and requires the Department of Transitional Assistance to apply for DTA cash assistance at the same time as SNAP.

Who is eligible for SNAP?

U.S. citizens or legal immigrants living in households with a combined income under 200% of the federal poverty level, which for a one-person household is $25,760/year or for a four-person household $53,000. A household includes spouses, kids under 22-years-old and their parents; or persons living together who share most of their food.

Low-income college students are also eligible for SNAP benefits, including those who attend community colleges, those with a MassGrant, work study or an “expected family contribution” of $0, students with disabilities, and those with children.

One of the reasons people give for not applying for benefits is that they do not want to take benefits away from someone else who needs them. This is a myth. SNAP is an entitlement program, meaning that anyone who is eligible will receive benefits regardless of how many people sign up.

Additionally, applying for SNAP benefits will have no effect on your immigration/citizenship status. A rule that had been implemented by the Trump Administration, the Public Charge Rule, which was used to deny visas and other legal status to immigrants without economic means, has been eliminated.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many access barriers to applying for SNAP have been removed and every household is receiving a significantly higher SNAP benefit amount than pre-pandemic. Many people receiving unemployment benefits, who may not have considered their eligibility, are eligible to receive SNAP benefits.

In addition to the obvious benefits that come from receiving SNAP assistance, there are also several side benefits including:

  • Access to the HIP (Healthy Incentives Program), which allows people to use SNAP benefits are participating farmers’ markets, CSAs, and farm stands. The amount spent on fruits & vegetables at those vendors will be reimbursed back onto your EBT card up to a certain monthly cap ($40-$80 depending on household size).
  • Pandemic EBT for children ages 0-5, providing additional funds for food.
  • Online food purchasing from participating retailers.
  • Some gas or electric utility discounts.
  • Access to the EBT Card to Culture Program, which provides discounts and, in some cases, free admission to many museums and cultural attractions in Massachusetts.

How can you apply for SNAP or receive additional information?