Nearly one million veterans will be affected by cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) once the benefits automatically expire Nov. 1 along with the 2009 stimulus bill, Forbes reported.
According to a recently released report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, roughly 900,000 veterans lived in households that are dependent, either whole or part, on SNAP benefits in 2011. In Florida alone, more than 109,000 households include former servicemembers receiving food stamps, while Texas comes in at a close second with roughly 105,000 households.
SNAP benefits were increased for low-income families across the nation due to the 2009 Recovery Act, passed at the height of the recession. According to the Center, the benefits will drop to less than $1.40 per person per meal once the legislation expires.
Thousands of servicemembers returning from active duty depend on food stamps while they look for employment. Even though the overall unemployment rate for veterans is currently lower than the national average of 7.2 percent, 10 percent of veterans who returned from service after 2001 are unemployed.
In addition to veterans, The Associated Press reported that 47 million U.S. citizens – half of which are children and teenagers – receive food stamps each month.