Food Stamps (SNAP)

• In 2008 the U.S. Department of Agriculture changed the name of the federal Food Stamp Program to SNAP -- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The federal government sets the guidelines within which states can operate. The eligibility requirements, program name and application methods vary among states. The government decided the name "stamps" was misleading since all states now provide benefits through an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card that acts like a credit card. The program serves U.S. citizens or legal residents with low incomes and resources. Recipients of TANF -- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families -- or Supplemental Security Income automatically qualify for SNAP benefits in most states.
  
  

School Lunch Program

• The National School Lunch Program funds lunches in more than 101,000 schools and residential care facilities serving more than 31 million school children daily. Schools administer the program. To receive funding and food commodities from the USDA, schools must follow federal guidelines for food menus and special prices for needy children through age 18. Federal guidelines ensure the meals furnish one-third of the children's recommended daily allowance of nutrients. Lunch prices are on a sliding scale based on the family income of each child, ranging from free to no more than 40 cents.
  
  

WIC

• WIC, which stands for Women, Infants and Children, provides federal grants through the USDA to state health departments and Indian Tribal Organizations. WIC targets women who are pregnant or nursing and infants and children through age 5. Eligibility usually lasts six months to one year. Not all eligible applicants receive help. The grant amounts are limited and states have to prioritize recipients, providing available benefits for women and children in most need such as women who have high-risk pregnancies or are underweight. Applicants must also meet neediness criteria.
  
  

Emergency Assistance Program

• The USDA created The Emergency Food Assistance Program The federal agency pre-packages food items and distributes them to States according to the number of low-income or unemployed state residents. States organize the intrastate distribution using organizations that serve meals or provide food to the needy such as food banks. States who provide the TEFAP food items to individual households set the criteria for a household's eligibility. Recipients are frequently currently eligible for other low-income programs.
  
  

School Breakfast Program

• The School Breakfast Program is similar to the National Lunch Program. The USDA provides cash subsidies to schools so they can provide free or low-cost breakfasts to children from low-income families. To qualify, schools must serve nutritious breakfasts providing at least one-fourth of the recommended daily allowance for children of protein, calcium, iron, calories and several vitamins. In 2010, more than 87,000 educational facilities had enrolled in the program.