Marlene earns a monthly net income of $1,000 for herself and her three school-age children, which puts her family well below the poverty line. Each month she spends $500 on rent, $200 on utilities, and about $150 on school supplies, clothes, shoes, and after-school care for her children. This leaves her with about $250 to spend on nutritionally adequate food for the family each month. Would Marlene qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)?

Question

a. Because Marlene has less than 30% of her income available for a nutritionally adequate diet for her family, she would qualify for SNAP.
b. Because Marlene earns a monthly income of $1,000, she is not eligible for SNAP but might be eligible for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.
c. Marlene is not eligible for SNAP, but she is eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); this will mean she is caught in the poverty trap.
d. While Marlene is not herself eligible for SNAP, her children are eligible for the free breakfast and lunch program at their school, which will provide them with a nutritionally adequate diet.

Answer 1

a. Because Marlene has less than 30% of her income available for a nutritionally adequate diet for her family, she would qualify for SNAP.

In general, households are expected to spend about 30% of their own net income on food, and if 30% of their net income is not enough to purchase a nutritionally adequate diet, then those households are eligible for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).