SALT LAKE CITY — More than 23,000 Utah residents could receive help through food assistance programs, but a new report says they are not participating.
The report by the National Council on Aging and the Urban Institute shows that 70.5% of Utah residents over the age of 65 who are eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are not participating in the program.
“We know that Utah has historically had low participation rates, and there could be a number of reasons for that,” says Muris Prses, director of Eligibility Services for the Utah Department of Workforce Services.
One of these reasons may be that benefits are reduced due to additional income or accumulated assets.
“If you are closer to that (income) limit, your eligibility would be minimal, and I believe that is the main reason why some of the older people in our population choose not to participate in SNAP,” Prses said.
The NCOA study shows that SNAP participation rates are lowest in northern Utah, with nearly 84% of eligible residents unenrolled in Summit, Rich, Cache and Morgan counties.
In Washington and Utah counties, over 80% of Utah’s older residents also miss out on the program.
This is a nationwide phenomenon: nearly nine million older people are not enrolled in a food assistance program for which they are eligible.
Whether the assistance is $30, $50 or $100 a month, Prses continues to encourage Utah residents to apply for SNAP.
“I am convinced that every little bit helps, especially when the budget is tight,” said Prses
