BenefitsCheckUp Helps Keep Food on Holiday Tables
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits available for eligible seniors
Washington, DC – December 1, 2009 - While most of the country sits down to bountiful holiday meals, many older Americans with low or limited incomes face far less abundant tables. BenefitsCheckUp, a free online screening tool developed by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), can help seniors and their families find benefits programs that ensure they don’t go hungry.
For a nation in the grips of a recession, food insecurity is a growing problem. According to a November report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), one in seven American households strained to put food on their table last year. As food insecurity grows, so does the number of individuals and families relying on federal food aid through programs such as the Supplement Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamps program. BenefitsCheckUp helps eligible seniors keep food on the table by providing needed information and resources to quickly and easily apply for SNAP and other nutrition programs.
“For many struggling seniors, the holidays are a time of anxiety,” said Stuart Spector, senior vice president at NCOA. “BenefitsCheckUp helps low-income older adults and their families learn about and get access to a wide variety of programs that can provide them with a measure of economic security.”
Food Benefits in a SNAP
Older adults and their families can go to www.benefitscheckup.org and use the SNAP Application Forms Service to quickly locate program information on a state-by-state basis, and easily access application forms in printable and online formats, offered in multiple languages when available. The service also provides a link to a short questionnaire that visitors may complete to find out if they’re eligible for SNAP. In addition to providing comprehensive information for the 50 states and Washington D.C., the service now includes information about the SNAP programs in the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
SNAP provides food assistance through a special ATM-style debit card, which can be used at most grocery stores. The amount of assistance, or cash benefit, allotted to each card depends on the individual’s income, number of family members, and where each individual or family lives.
A Dynamic, Easy to Use Resource
Beyond food support, BenefitsCheckUp includes 2,000 federal, state, and local benefits programs and can determine an older adult’s eligibility for help with utilities, prescription drug coverage, housing, and other basic needs. Enrollment forms for these programs are provided as part of BenefitsCheckUp’s interactive screening process. Since 2001, more than 2.3 million people have used the service, identifying benefits valued at more than $7.7 billion.
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About NCOA
The National Council on Aging is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC. NCOA is a national voice for older Americans-especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged-and the community organizations that serve them. It brings together nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government to develop creative solutions that improve the lives of all older adults. NCOA works with thousands of organizations across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their health, live independently and remain active in their communities. For more information, please visit http://www.ncoa.org.
