By Aaron Richterman, Christina Roberto and Harsha Thirumurthy
Early in the pandemic, unforgettable images of long lines at food pantries across the U.S. became common as the American hunger crisis surged into full public view. These lines eased in part because of the largest-ever increase to payments by the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The extra $100 or more a month that many families got kept them fed at a time when food prices were soaring from inflation.
In March 2023, the federal government ended these higher payments, and our new research shows why hungry Americans are once again queuing up at pickup sites across the country.