The Department of Agriculture's Food Stamp Program
"We set out to find a practical way to build a bridge across that chasm," said Milo Perkins, the first administrator of the food stamp program. He was talking about the gulf between those whose kitchens overflowed with food and those who were on the brink of starvation. The year was 1939. The stock market had crashed, taking the fortunes of many with it, and America found itself facing a famine in its cities. The food stamp program was its answer.
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The First Stamps
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When food stamps were first introduced in 1939, they were meant as a temporary fix. People actually purchased the stamps, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Orange stamps were purchased for necessary food items and for every dollar spent on them, a person got 50 cents in blue stamps, which were used for food items the government categorized as "surplus." Over the four years these stamps existed, more than 20 million people relied upon them. When the economy righted itself after the devastating market crash, the stamps were withdrawn by the government because, as it stated, "the conditions that brought the program into being...no longer existed."
The Pilot Program
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A full 18 years passed before the food stamp program was re-introduced, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It was President Kennedy who demanded its return. He believed expanded food distribution was the government's responsibility. The "pilot program," or the test run, of the new food stamp program was launched in 1961 and eliminated the idea of buying special stamps for "surplus" food. Instead, an emphasis was placed on making perishable items available.
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Making it Permanent
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After Kennedy's assassination, President Lyndon Johnson submitted a proposal to Congress to make the food stamp program a permanent part of American society and, in April 1964, the bill passed. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Congress had expected the number of people participating in the program to eventually rise to four million, yet within just 10 years more than 14 million people were on food stamps.
Today
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The program was renamed SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) in October 2008. In 2009, about 31 million people benefited from SNAP allotments. Anyone can apply for benefits -- in some states, they can apply online -- and, if approved, they'll receive their benefits within seven to 30 days from the date of application. The stamps themselves have been replaced with sleek, plastic cards that look and perform like debit cards, which greatly simplifies the process for those enrolled. Clearly, the original purpose -- to bridge that chasm between the needy and the well-provided for -- has been fulfilled.
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References
- Photo Credit fresh vegetables image by WITTY from Fotolia.com
