A recent study highlights a concerning trend among food insecure veterans in the United States: a reluctance to seek help through food assistance programs. Carl Davis, a veteran with a 100 percent disability rating from Veterans Affairs (VA), shares his own struggle with making ends meet. His financial difficulties led him to the Feed Our Vets food pantry in upstate New York, a veteran founded organization that eased his initial reluctance to seek help.

Davis’ story reflects a larger issue within the veteran community. Despite their eligibility, only a small proportion of veterans are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps. Many veterans, like Davis, find themselves ineligible due to VA benefits being counted as income. A RAND report confirms this trend, finding that veterans eligible for SNAP are less likely to participate than their non veteran counterparts.

Food insecurity, defined as the inability to secure enough food for health, can lead to reliance on cheap, unhealthy food. According to the RAND report, veteran status is associated with an increased likelihood of living in a food insecure household and regularly skipping meals.

The issue is particularly acute among older veterans and those not working due to disability. In contrast to their non veteran counterparts, fewer food insecure veterans in these categories are likely enrolled in SNAP.

The consequences of food insecurity are severe. Dr. Thomas O’Toole, senior medical adviser for the Veterans Health Administration, highlights the link between lack of regular access to food and various health problems, including poorly controlled chronic diseases, depression, anxiety, and increased suicide risk.

The problem extends to the active duty military population as well, where service members with low incomes and families often find themselves ineligible for SNAP due to their housing allowance being counted as income.

In response to these challenges, the VA has established a food security work group and developed a screening tool to identify food-insecure veterans. However, hunger advocates call for better tracking of SNAP enrollment among veterans identified as food insecure.

Efforts are being made to expand SNAP eligibility for veterans. Congresswoman Jahana Hayes has reintroduced the Feed Hungry Veterans Act, aiming to lower the threshold for exemption from SNAP work requirements. Additionally, partnerships between state SNAP offices and veteran service organizations could enhance outreach and enrollment among veterans.

Despite these efforts, pride and the ingrained military mentality of self-reliance and prioritizing others’ needs often prevent veterans from seeking assistance. Researchers suggest that generational differences and stigma around safety net programs contribute to this resistance, compounded by the complexities of the SNAP application process.

Veterans’ food pantries like Feed Our Vets, founded by Navy veteran Rich Synek, play a crucial role in addressing food insecurity within the veteran community. However, overcoming the barriers to SNAP enrollment remains a significant challenge for many veterans struggling to afford food.