Hungry & Homeless

Barriers to the Receipt of Food Stamps by Homeless People

Studies show that homeless persons have a rate of nutritional disorders that is at least three times higher than the population at large.  Homeless persons also have higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, and several other disorders that may be affected by diet.

The federal Food Stamp Program was created to address the needs of the poorest members of our society by enabling low-income persons to purchase food.  Because of their extreme poverty, most homeless persons qualify to receive food stamps.

Homeless persons face unique barriers to obtaining food stamps--because of their homelessness.  This document surveys 72 direct service organizations around the country that indicated that their clients encountered difficulties when trying to obtain food stamps. 

Hungry and Homeless identifies the types of barriers encountered by homeless persons when they try to obtain food stamps.

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