Mass. ranks eighth for SNAP participation

BOSTON – Massachusetts ranks eighth in the United States for participant access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – or SNAP – according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.
SNAP – formerly known as the Food Stamp Program – is aimed at helping low-income individuals purchase healthy food. Additionally, the department says that the funding creates $2 in economic activity – including local jobs, production and sales – for every dollar spent.
Nearly 800,000 individuals – or one in eight Massachusetts residents – now receive SNAP. Within the last year, the Massachusetts SNAP caseload has increased by more than 81,000 individuals (more than 48,000 households), or nearly 13 percent, the commonwealth highlighted in a news release.
Since 2007, the amount of SNAP benefits issued in Massachusetts has nearly tripled, increasing from $38 million per month to more than $103 million per month. &#8226