Background
Millions of eligible Americans aren't getting the food help they're owed
SNAP — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as food stamps — is America's most powerful weapon against hunger. It delivers $145 billion a year in grocery assistance to 42 million people, fully funded by the federal government.
Yet an estimated 22% of eligible Americans never enroll. That's more than 9 million people leaving nearly $20 billion on the table every year. Access is uneven: in 16 states, fewer than 3 in 4 eligible people are enrolled. Only about half of eligible Latinos and barely 40% of eligible seniors currently participate.
The barriers are real — language gaps, immigration fears, lack of broadband access, mobility limits, and simple unawareness. But they're not insurmountable. In Pennsylvania, just giving people information about eligibility drove an 83% jump in enrollment. Adding hands-on assistance tripled it.
The Crisis
Food insecurity isn't just a hunger problem: it's a public health emergency
Roughly 44 million Americans — 1 in 7 people — can't regularly afford enough nutritious food. Inflation has made grocery bills even harder to manage. But the consequences go far beyond an empty fridge.
People who don't have enough to eat are significantly more likely to develop chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes, more likely to struggle with mental health, more likely to get sick, and less able to stay productive at work or focused at school.
SNAP directly addresses all of this. Decades of evidence show it reduces poverty and hunger. More recent research shows it also cuts health care costs, improves educational outcomes, and lifts long-term economic mobility. It's not charity — it's infrastructure.
The Opportunity
Four types of organizations stand to gain — and are uniquely positioned to help
Health insurers, supermarkets, schools, and state and local governments have historically stayed on the sidelines of SNAP enrollment. That needs to change — because each one has both a strong financial incentive and a unique platform to make a difference.
If all 9 million unenrolled eligible Americans started receiving SNAP benefits, the ripple effects would be enormous: insurers could avoid up to $12.6 billion in annual medical costs; supermarkets could capture nearly $20 billion in new spending; schools could see high school graduation rates rise by up to 18%; and state governments would draw down billions in new federal funding.
The opportunity isn't just philanthropic — it's strategic. These organizations already have the data, the infrastructure, and the community relationships needed. The missing piece is intent.
How Each Sector Can Act
The playbook looks different for each type of organization
Health insurers have claims data that can pinpoint who would benefit most from SNAP. New member onboarding is a natural moment to include food security screening, and existing care management teams can help with applications or transportation to social services offices.
Supermarkets are high-traffic, trusted community anchors where food budgets are already top of mind. They're ideal for in-store eligibility screening and application support — especially chains that also run pharmacies or health clinics, where SNAP efforts can align with broader wellness strategies.
Schools already run the National School Lunch Program, making them natural partners. They have ongoing family relationships, multilingual staff, and neighborhood presence that position them well to screen and assist with enrollment for children and their households.
State and local governments have convening power no other actor does. A mayor or governor can align employers, transit agencies, philanthropy, and public health under a shared enrollment goal — pulling in partners who wouldn't typically engage with SNAP at all.
The prize is real. The tools exist. The question is who steps up.
The Case for Action
SNAP is already working for 42 million Americans. The evidence for its impact on health, education, and economic stability is overwhelming. What's missing is not resources — the federal government funds 100% of the benefits — but the outreach infrastructure to reach the millions who qualify and don't yet know it.
The organizations best positioned to close that gap are also the ones with the most to gain. Every 10,000 people enrolled in SNAP represents roughly $14 million in avoided health costs, $21.8 million in new grocery spending, and up to 1,800 additional high school graduates over time.
None of this requires building something from scratch. It requires these sectors to recognize that SNAP enrollment is already their business — and to act accordingly.
