Understanding SNAP’s Reach and Access: Evidence from Technology, Policy, and Lived Experience

Session Submission Type: Panel

Abstract

This panel examines how policymakers and researchers can better understand, evaluate, and improve the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and related social safety net policies. Using diverse analytical approaches, including quasi-experimental methods, large-scale survey data, and analyses of user-generated online content, the three papers offer new evidence and tools for addressing the challenges of food insecurity, program design, and administrative burden.

The first paper examines the impact of SNAP Emergency Allotment (EA) expiration on food insufficiency among households with children, highlighting vulnerable subgroups disproportionately affected by benefit cuts. The second paper utilizes user-generated content on Reddit to explore the lived experiences of SNAP applicants and beneficiaries, providing real-time insights into administrative burdens and procedural challenges. The third paper investigates the expansion of online grocery purchasing for SNAP and related food assistance programs, showing that greater access to digital transactions enhances program use and reduces redemption barriers.

Collectively, these presentations highlight the evolving nature of SNAP and its central role in the U.S. safety net. The panel underscores the importance of designing programs that are effective and equitable, while also responsive to the economic, technological, and administrative realities faced by low-income households, grounded in structured policy analysis, empirical evidence, and lived experience.

Policy Area

• Poverty and Income Policy

Secondary Policy Area

• Politics, Media, and the Policy Process

Chair

• Michele Ver Ploeg, George Washington University

Discussants

• Ellyn Terry, University of Washington

• Liwei Zhang, The University of Georgia

Organizer

• Elora Choudhury, University of Michigan Ann Arbor

Individual Presentations

• Food Insufficiency After SNAP Emergency Allotment Expiration: Evidence from Households with Children - Presenting Author: Ruijie Ma, University of Pittsburgh

• Understanding Administrative Burdens and Experiences of Social Program Beneficiaries and Applicants Using Posts on Reddit - Presenting Author: Michiko Ueda, Syracuse University; Non-Presenting Co-Author: Colleen M Heflin, Syracuse University

• From Storefronts to Screens: The Impacts of Online Grocery Shopping on Public Food Assistance Users - Presenting Author: Kelsey Pukelis, Harvard University & California Department of Social Services