According to an AARP study, 10,000 Americans turn 65 every day. Not only are they the fastest growing population, they are also the fastest growing food insecure population, according to Feeding America. It is heartbreaking that so many older adults approach the end of their working careers and find themselves without enough nutritious food.
Food banks have been working to alleviate food insecurity among older adults by implementing programs that make it easier for them to access nutritious food. Food box deliveries started during the pandemic to ensure homebound older adults had enough to eat, while minimizing exposure to COVID for this higher risk group. Food banks do a great job of providing emergency food access and there are other programs for older adults that would ensure long-term and steady access to healthy food.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) is the nation’s most effective tool to combat hunger and food insecurity. SNAP is an electronic benefit that allows income-eligible households to purchase food at participating retailers.
The problem? Only one-third of adults older than 60 that are eligible for SNAP in Arizona are participating. Thanks in part to AzFBN advocacy, a new initiative at the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) aims to eliminate many of the barriers to SNAP access faced by older adults, including burdensome application processes, limited access to technology and overall mobility, and a general lack of awareness about SNAP and who qualifies. To address the lack of awareness, AzFBN created an array of materials that inform older adults of their potential eligibility. Now, we have been working extensively with community-based partners to increase awareness about the program through a variety of different channels.
The cumbersome application process—including a 23-page application—is another barrier to SNAP for older adults. Not only is it a very long application, it is also complex and requires the submission of countless documents. All these steps add up to be one too many and make it very difficult for someone without a computer or familiarity with the Internet to complete. Many older adults cannot easily drive to a DES office or community partner to apply in person either.
But all of this is about to change.
Beginning July 1, older adults will have a much more streamlined process to apply for and renew SNAP. Key changes in the process include:
- Longer certification periods: Older adults may not have earned income, so they can now be approved for SNAP up to 3 years instead of 2.
- Shorter application: The new application is only 6 pages, double-spaced and easier to read!
- Fewer renewal interviews and less paperwork: Eligible older adults will no longer need to recertify with a DES eligibility worker every 6–12 months and have fewer required documents.
- Dedicated hotline: DES will open a separate phone line exclusively for older adults.
For the past 4 years, the Arizona Food Bank Network (AzFBN) and community partner organizations have been supporting DES to make these changes to SNAP for older adults. With COVID-19 hitting this population especially hard, prioritizing their health became urgent. We will all now be working even harder to connect older adults with the food and resources they need to meet their basic needs. Through many years of strategic partnership with DES and Wildfire: Igniting Community Action to End Poverty in Arizona, we are grateful to see these much-needed improvements to SNAP for older adults.
For more information on the Elderly Simplified Application Project, please go to: des.az.gov/esap
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