Abstract

This project demonstrated that the majority of adult Americans use food stamps sometime during their lifetime, and described the policy implications of this fact.

Issue

My research suggests that the majority of the American population is at-risk of food insecurity some time during the course of their lives, however many Americans are not aware of this fact and may refuse to believe it. Nevertheless, judging by the responses to the article, perhaps the American public is becoming more aware and is thinking in ways related to this research about food security.The impact of this research has fundamental implications for health and well-being of the population.

Response

This research was disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal and in the Washington Post (Sunday, Aug. 22,, 2004; Page B05). The Washington Post piece was read by staff members of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee who requested that I send them a copy of the study.

This committee makes multi-billion dollar policy decisions regarding the scope and framework for the food stamp program. In addition, stage agencies in West Virginia, Connecticut, and California phoned my office requesting copies of the study.

Dissemination of this study helps to frame policy decisions regarding the economic vulnerability of the U.S. population. Such decisions are often ill-informed and have the potential to be harmful to the health and well-being of American citizens.

Impact

It is difficult to measure the impact of policy research. Policy decisions are made in an informational context and this study, hopefully, helped to shape this context. There are other, competing information sources in the policy context and it is possible that may counter-balance or even out-weigh the information my research project provided. This policy research may hopefully have long-run effects resulting from different types of future decisions based on empirical rather than ideological constructions.

Funding Sources

• Other USDA (e.g., Water Quality, Special Grants, NRI)
• Federal Formula Funds - Research (e.g., Hatch, McIntire-Stennis, Animal Health)

Collaborators

• Washington University at St. Louis, School of Social Work
• University of Chicago/Northwestern University Joint Center for Poverty Research

Key Personnel

• Mark R. Rank, Professor, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University at St. Louis
• Thomas Hirschl, Department of Developmental Sociology, Cornell University