The federal government has a number of programs in place that act as safety nets and support for families at or below the poverty line. One such program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP — formerly known as food stamps — is designed to support households that are struggling to pay for their basic nutrition.

Like other government programs, such as Welfare or Medicaid, critics often misunderstand how the SNAP program works and make assumptions that are patently incorrect.