Highlighted Publications




 

Anders and Rafkin (2025) examine whether expanding SNAP income-eligibility limits increases program use among households that were already eligible. Using administrative SNAP Quality Control data from 1996–2016, they track state-level changes in eligibility thresholds and their effect on participation. They find that a 10-percentage-point increase in the income limit raises take-up among always-eligible households by about 1–2 percent. For every newly eligible person who enro

This study asked whether federal and state Universal Free School Meal (UFSM) policies increased student participation in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). Using school-level meal claims from 25 U.S. states between 2019 and 2024, the authors conducted a difference-in-difference analysis. They found that federal UFSM policies during the COVID-19 pandemic raised participation by 10 percentage points for lunches and 8 for breakfasts. Whe

This study asked whether participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during early childhood can protect against the long-term cardiovascular effects of food insecurity. Researchers followed 1,071 children from birth to age 22 using data from the Future of Families–Cardiovascular Health Among Young Adults study. They found that early food insecurity was linked to worse cardiovascular health, with a 2.2-point lower Life’s Essential 8 score and 1.4 time

This study asked whether food insecurity in early childhood is linked to poorer cardiovascular health in young adulthood and whether participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can reduce these risks. Researchers analyzed data from 1,071 children in the Future of Families–Cardiovascular Health Among Young Adults study, following them from ages 3–5 to about age 22. Early childhood food insecurity was associated with a 2.2-point lower overall Life’s Es