President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) was passed in July. This law makes significant changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP. Overhaul means that program costs will shift to the states. It also changes work requirements and limits the people who get food aid.
CBO estimates the SNAP low-income multi-categorical program will see average SNAP participation reduced by an average of 3.2 million people in each month between 2025 and 2034. In 2024, more than 41.7 million Americans accessed SNAP.
The average monthly disbursement was $187.20. Experts have been afraid that food insecurity will become elevated. SNAP is one of the key tools in the fight against hunger. For every meal of food that food banks provide, SNAP provides 9 meals.
The new law aims to tighten the Able-Bodied Adult Work Requirements. The exemption for parents is currently restricted to children less than seven years of age only. This was previously for children under 18. Adults under the age of 65 must now work in order to meet the requirements.
The new law also raises the financial burden on states. Starting with fiscal year 2028, the states need to pick up their overall share of matching funds for benefit allotments. The amount of the match is dependent upon the state’s payment error rate. Also, beginning in FY 2027, the federal portion of administrative costs is reduced from 50% to only 25%.
College students have stricter eligibility requirements. In 2020, college students were food insecure by the million, with 3.8 million. However, roughly 2 out of 3 Food Stamp Program-eligible students were not receiving it. The cost of food and other expenses is so high that college is a struggle.
In Ohio, a campus food pantry called Cats Cupboard has had 3,000 visits since January 1. This is indicative of the high student need. Universities are attempting to help Ohio University, for example, Ohio University, which is helping students who are eligible for SNAP and are accepting SNAP benefits at their marketplace. But, experts say that colleges need to better publicize resources such as meal swipe donation programs.
