White House Says Food Stamps ‘Are Boosting the Economy’

Photo Credit: APPeople who depend on the government to buy their food using food stamps are boosting the economy, the White House says.

A Thanksgiving message posted on the White House website says the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)–AKA food stamps–helps millions of Americans put food on the table and keeps millions out of poverty.

In the last five years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the number of Americans on food stamps has gone up 67.7 percent.

“What’s more, SNAP is boosting the economy right now,” the infographic says. “SNAP’s effect extends beyond the food on a family’s table–to the grocery stores, truck drivers, warehouses, processing plants and farmers that helped get it there.”

The White House says every $5 in new SNAP benefits generates as much as $9 in economic activity for participating grocery stores and farmer’s markets.

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