October 15, 2020

Floridians Struggling to Survive: Basics of Food, Rent, and Utilities Needed the Most

Overview 

From August 28 to September 7, 2020, the SouthStrong campaign surveyed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants in 12 Southern states. The surveys used to collect the data shared in this report were written and analyzed by the Southern Economic Advancement Project (SEAP), and the conclusions and calls to action belong to the Florida Policy Institute. The data analyzed here rely on self-reported information from 361 anonymized surveys in Florida. Respondents were invited to answer a mixture of multiple choice and open-ended questions about challenges and changes in the wake of the pandemic, experiences using and applying for government benefits, and recommendations and requests for policymakers. Respondents were invited, but not required, to share their first names to be attached to quotes you see here. The surveys were administered by Propel (www.joinpropel.com), the operators of a financial services app, Fresh EBT(www.freshebt.com). Fresh EBT, used by over 4 million households, is a smartphone app available at no cost to SNAP participants to track and manage SNAP and TANF benefits. The survey, designed by SEAP, was made available through Fresh EBT to randomly selected individuals who opened the app between August 28 - September 7, 2020. 

Summary of Findings

  • Food insecurity and job loss have been the top challenges in the pandemic. 
  • Government aid made a real difference for many families... but much of it has expired.
  • Help with food, housing, and utilities are needed now.


Downloadable Resources

There are no attachments currently.
No items found.