Full Description
The first book to tell the whole story of SNAP and to explain why all Americans should support it.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is the nation's largest government effort for helping low-income Americans obtain an adequate diet. How did SNAP, formerly the food stamp program, evolve from a Depression-era project to use up surplus goods into America's foundational food assistance program? And how does SNAP survive? Incisive and original, Why SNAP Works is the first book to provide a comprehensive history and evaluation of the nation's most important food insecurity and poverty alleviation effort.
Everyone has an opinion about SNAP, not all of them positive, but its benefits are felt broadly and across party lines. Christopher Bosso makes a clear, nuanced, and impassioned case for protecting this unique food program, exploring its history and breaking down the facts for readers across the political spectrum. Why SNAP Works is an essential book for anyone concerned about food access, poverty, and social welfare in the United States.
Contents
Contents
List of Figures
Acknowledgments
1. Tales at the Intersection of Want and Plenty
2. "To Encourage Domestic Consumption"
3. The Paradox Anew
4. Farm Programs + Food Programs
5. Welfare Politics
6. Let Us Now Praise the Food Stamp Plan
Appendix: Table 1. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program participation and costs, 1961-2022
Chronology: Key Moments in Food Stamps and the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Notes
Suggested Reading
Index
