The Role of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) in Nutritional Assistance to Mothers, Infants, Children, and Seniors
By Kenneth Finegold, Fredrica D. Kramer, Brendan Saloner, and Joanna Parnes. ERS project representative: Annette Clauson.
Contractor and Cooperator Report No. (CCR-48) 71 pp,
August 2008
Each month, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) provides supplemental food packages to about a half a million low-income pregnant and postpartum women, children younger than 6, and seniors 60 and older. This study—the first in-depth study of the program since 1982—looks at how CSFP operates, who participates in it, and how it fits into the overall food assistance landscape. The study estimates that 2.9 million mothers, infants, and children meet eligibility requirements for CSFP but not for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). An estimated 7.5 million seniors would be eligible if CSFP were available everywhere. In eight States where the program is widely available, more seniors participate in CSFP than in the Food Stamp Program. Use of volunteers, staff stability, and the small scale of operations contribute to CSFP’s simplicity and accessibility. Focus group participants liked the program’s
simplicity, the quality of the food it provides, and the nutrition education they received.
Disclaimer: This study was conducted by the The Urban Institute under Cooperative Agreement #43-3AEM-5-80091 with the Economic Research Service. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of ERS or USDA.
Keywords: Commodity Supplemental Food Program, CSFP, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, WIC, Food Stamps, food assistance, mothers, infants, children, seniors, older persons, FANRP, ERS, USDA
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Updated date: August 29, 2008
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