Serving SNAP Participants During COVID-19: Voices from the Field

The National Association for Welfare Research and Statistics (NAWRS), with sponsorship from Mathematica, invited attendees to engage with three state Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) administrators, who shared their experiences of providing SNAP benefits to individuals and families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

NAWRS is a nonprofit association that promotes the exchange of ideas about how research and statistical analysis can contribute to the development and administration of effective human services programs. This webinar covered topics such as:

• Higher demand for SNAP benefits
• Changes to policies and administrative processes
• Lessons learned during the pandemic and their implications for the future 

Our panelists were:

• Todd Trapp, Division of Family Support, Kentucky Department for Community Based Services
• La Sherra Ayala, deputy executive director of operations, Maryland Department of Human Services
• Alex Mayer, program administrator, Division of Economic Assistance, South Dakota Department of Social Services

Our moderator was Gretchen Rowe, deputy director for nutrition policy research, Mathematica.