SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, (formerly the Food Stamp Program) is the cornerstone of the Nation's nutrition safety net and essential in helping to meet this increased demand for food.  Many of those eligible for the program, however, are not participating. The nationwide participation rate is estimated by the USDA to be 67%. Despite recent increases, the participation rate for Montana remains lower than the national average, at only 62%. It is clear that many Montanans are not accessing the benefits available to help their families afford healthy, nutritious food. In fact, MFBN’s 2008 Hungry in Montana client hunger survey found that 43.8% of families with children that are visiting emergency food pantries are not receiving SNAP benefits.

 

A number of possible barriers may discourage people from applying for SNAP benefits. For Montanans with limited income, barriers to participation can result from misconceptions about the program, transportation difficulties, or not knowing how to navigate the application process. In addition, many do not apply simply because they are unaware of their eligibility. Given the program’s importance for the health of participants, as well as its significant contribution to state and local economies, the Montana Food Bank Network has made overcoming these barriers and increasing SNAP access a priority. 

 

The Montana Food Bank Network has led the initiative to foster SNAP outreach by offering SNAP Outreach Workshops to service providers in communities across the state. These workshops are attended by community volunteers, case managers, and other local service providers interested in learning the ins and outs of the SNAP application so that they, in turn, can assist their clients. As a result, an increased amount of SNAP outreach is happening through community health centers, Head Start programs, WIC offices, senior centers, food pantries, and many other community organizations, all agreeing on the importance of this nutrition program and the secondary benefits it brings along.

 

Counties across the state are working hard to increase SNAP participation. Since March 2007, the Montana Food Bank Network has held workshops in Missoula, Great Falls, Butte, Helena, Bozeman, Billings, Kalispell, Livingston, Lewistown, Hamilton, Dillon, Roundup, and Libby, with plans for future outreach in many additional counties across Montana. 

 

 

The Montana Food Bank Network has partnered with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) to reach the common goal of increasing SNAP participation. We were honored to be included in a 3-year USDA grant awarded to DPHHS in September 2007. This grant provides funding for improvements to the SNAP application process, as well as for additional outreach and education.

 

To promote SNAP outreach throughout Montana MFBN is building partnerships with local officials and community volunteers in target counties across the state to help address access barriers and increase SNAP participation among low-income Montanans.  We are working closely with local service providers and other community members to develop outreach strategies that, based on local input and feedback, will be most effective for each community.  In addition, the Montana Food Bank Network will provide target communities with laptop computers that can be used by community organizations to screen clients for potential SNAP eligibility, and will eventually be used by clients to apply for SNAP benefits online. The availability of the computer, as well as the ability to apply online will simplify the application process and help individuals overcome many potential barriers, including transportation and time-constraint issues. 

 

The counties targeted through this grant will be Ravalli, Beaverhead, Gallatin, Lincoln, Silver Bow, Yellowstone, Dawson, Custer, Musselshell, Teton, Liberty, Fergus, Wheatland, Phillips, and Carter Counties.

 

Lorianne Burhop, Public Policy Coordinator for the Montana Food Bank Network, can be reached at (406) 721-3825 ext. 230 , toll-free at (800) 809-4752, or by email at lburhop@mfbn.org.