The first federal Food Stamp program was designed to assist low-income families to purchase food as well as to deplete food surpluses that existed at the time. It ran from 1939 through 1943. Over the course of nearly 4 years, the first FSP reached approximately 20 million people at one time or another in nearly half of the counties in the U.S. peak participation was 4 million at a total cost of $262 million. The first recipient was Mabel McFliggin of Rochester, New York: the first retailer to redeem the stamps was Joseph Mutolo; and the first retailer caught violating the program was Nich Salzano in October 1939. The program ended since the conditions that brought the program into being unmarketable food surpluses and widespread unemployment no longer existed.
Pilot Food Stamp Program – May 29, 1961-1964 A new pilot Food Stamp program started in 1961 and was formally adopted as a permanent Federal assistance program in 1964. Historically, people receiving assistance from this program received paper stamps, similar to coupons, with which to purchase food so the program became known as the “Food Stamp Program.” The 18 years between the end of the first FSP and the inception of the next were filled with studies, reports, and legislative proposals. The Eisenhower Administration never used the authority. However, in fulfillment of a campaign promise made in West Virginia, President Kennedy’s first Executive Order called for expanded food distribution and, on Feb. 2, 1961, he announced that food stamp pilot programs would be initiated. The pilot program would retain the requirement that the food stamps be purchased, but eliminated the concept of special stamps for surplus foods. A Department spokesman indicated the emphasis would be on increasing the consumptions of perishables. Isabelle Kelley, who was part of the four person team that designed the new program, became its first director and the first woman in USDA to head an action program.
Food Stamp Act of 1964 – August 31, 1964 On Jan. 31, 1964 President Johnson requested Congress to pass legislation making the FSP permanent. Secretary Orville Freeman submitted proposed legislation to establish a permanent FSP on April 17, 1964. The bill eventually passed by Congress was H.R. 10222, introduced by Congresswoman Sullivan. Among the official purposes of the Food Stamp Act of 1964 were strengthening the agricultural economy and providing improved levels of nutrition among low-income households: however, the practical purpose was to bring the pilot FSP under Congressional control and to enact the regulations into law. The Department estimated that participation in a national FSP would eventually reach 4 million, at a cost $360 million annually.
Program Expansion – FSP Participation Milestones in the 1960s and Early 1970s In April 1965, participation topped half a million. (Actual participation was 561,261 people.) Participation topped 1 million in March 1966, 2 million in October 1967, 3 million in February 1969, 4 million in February 1970, 5 million one month later in March 1970, 6 million two months later in May 1970, 10 million in February 1971, and 15 million in October 1974. Rapid increases in participation during this period were primarily due to geographic expansion.

Major Legislative Changes – Early 1970s The early 1970s were a period of growth in participation; concern about the cost of providing food stamp benefits; and questions about administration, primarily timely certification. It was during this time that the issue was framed that would dominate food stamp legislation ever after.
1974 Nationwide Program
In accordance with P.L. 93-86 the FSP began operating Nationwide on July 1, 1974. The program was not fully implemented in Puerto Rico until Nov. 1, 1974. Participation for July 1974 was almost 14 million.
The Food Stamp Act of 1977 Both the outgoing Republican Administration and the new Democratic Administration offered Congress proposed legislation to reform the FSP in 1977. The Republican bill stressed targeting benefits to the neediest, simplifying administration, and tightening controls on the program; the Democratic bill focused on increasing access to those most in need and simplifying and streamlining a complicated and cumbersome process that delayed benefit delivery as well as reducing errors, and curbing abuse.
Cutbacks of the Early 1980s The large and expensive FSP came under close scrutiny of both the Executive Branch and Congress in the early 1980s.

The Mid – to Late 1980s Recognition of the severe domestic hunger problem in the latter half of the 1980s led to incremental improvements in the FSP in 1985 and 1987, such as elimination of sales tax on food stamp purchases, reinstitution of categorical eligibility, increased resource limit for most households ($2000), eligibility for the homeless, and expanded nutrition education. The Hunger Prevention Act of 1988 and the Mickey Leland Memorial Domestic Hunger Relief Act in 1990 foretold the improvements that would be coming. In the late 1990s, paper stamps were phased out and replaced with debit cards that were funded via electronic money transfers.
Development of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT): 1988-2004 Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) is an electronic system that allows a recipient to authorize transfer of their government benefits from a Federal account to a retailer account to pay for products received. EBT is used in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam. State food stamp agencies work with contractors to procure their own EBT systems for delivery for Food Stamp and other state-administered benefit programs. In EBT systems, food stamp recipients apply for their benefits in the usual way, by filling out a form at their local food stamp office. Once eligibility and level of benefits have been determined, an account is established in the participant’s name, and food stamp benefits are deposited electronically in the account each month. A plastic card, similar to a bank card, is issued and a personal identification number (PIN) is assigned or chosen by the recipient to give access to the account. Recipients are offered the opportunity to change the PIN number at any time, and is offered ongoing training if they have any problems accessing the system. EBT eliminates the cumbersome processes required by the paper food stamp system. By eliminating paper coupons which could be lost, sold or stolen, EBT may help cut back on food stamp fraud. EBT creates an electronic record of each food stamp transaction, making it easier to identify and document instances where food benefits are exchanged for cash, drugs, or other illegal goods.
Qualifying
Certain criteria must be met regarding income, assets and work ability before an individual may qualify for assistance through the program. Applicants and member of their households must have a valid Social Security numbers and be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals or be a qualified legal alien. In addition, your household cannot have more than $2000 in bank accounts, cash, real estate property or personal property. However, senior citizens and disabled persons can have at least $3000 in resources. Potential candidates for SNAP do not have to be on welfare, and you could be eligible if you are working.
Income
Income brackets change according to the size of a household and include the household gross and net incomes. The gross income is total earnings before all taxes and other deductions while the new income is the household’s income after taxes and other deductions are taken out.
Houses passes GOP plan for $39B cut in food stamps The House approved a Republican plan on September 19, 2013 to cut food stamps by $39 billion during the next decade, setting up a showdown with Democrats over the program used by nearly 48 million low-income Americans. The bill would cause 3 million people to lose benefits while another 850,000 would see their benefits cut, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. The White House did threaten to veto the bill, calling food stamps one of the “nation’s strongest defenses against hunger and poverty”. (usatoday.com/2013/09/19)

Works Cited
“A Short History of SNAP”