ACE and 32 other higher education groups sent a letter May 25 to the House and Senate agriculture committees urging lawmakers to streamline the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s (SNAP) eligibility requirements to make these benefits more accessible for students.
The food insecurity rate among college students is three times higher than among all U.S. households, but only about 3 out of every 10 SNAP-eligible students receive benefits. Current SNAP eligibility requirements for students are complex and confusing, making them harder to get and complicating outreach efforts by colleges and universities and state and local governments.
The organizations noted that by streamlining SNAP requirements and making these benefits more accessible, Congress can increase the number of individuals who successfully complete a postsecondary credential, allowing them to better provide for themselves and their families while contributing to our workforce and economy.
“Research consistently shows that obtaining a postsecondary credential is one of the most reliable ways to improve upward socioeconomic mobility and to increase employability in jobs providing family-sustaining wages,” the letter states. “By giving individuals a stronger economic foundation, higher education in turn decreases the need for individuals to rely on SNAP or other federal benefit programs in the future.”