How much does SNAP Matter? SNAP's Effects on Food Security

TL;DR

This study evaluates the impact of SNAP on food security using a new measure, finding limited overall effects but some benefits for those in the middle of the food security distribution.

Contribution

Introduces the Probability of Food Security (PFS) as a new measure and analyzes SNAP's effects on food security at a detailed distributional level.

Findings

SNAP does not significantly improve overall food security.

SNAP benefits those in the middle of the food security distribution.

No significant effects observed in the tails of the distribution.

Abstract

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) aims to improve food security of low-income households in the U.S. A new, continuous food security measure called the Probability of Food Security (PFS), which proxies for the official food security measure but is implementable on longer periods, enables the study of SNAP's effects on the intensive margin. Using variations in state-level SNAP administrative policies as an instrument for individual SNAP participation, I find that SNAP does not have significant effects on estimated food security on average, both on the entire population and low-income population whom I defined as income is below 130\% of poverty line at least once during the study period. I find SNAP has stronger positive effects on those whose estimated food security status is in the middle of the distribution, but has no significant effects in the tails of the distribution.