Investigating the Public Health Implications of Snap Funding Cuts

Client
Food Bank for New York City
Faculty
Meridith Seife
Team
Amy McDermott, Daniel Wagner, Hai Zhou, Mike Zhu
The Food Bank for New York City (Food Bank), a nonprofit social services organization and leader in food advocacy and policy, aims to end hunger by organizing food, information, and support for community survival, empowerment, and dignity. Food Bank commissioned a Capstone team to determine the public health impacts of potential funding cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The team focused their work on estimating the potential increase in rates of depression, diabetes, and hypertension associated with increased food insecurity due to funding cuts. The team completed a comprehensive literature review and meta-analysis of research related to food insecurity and the aforementioned public health measures. The team translated the results into tools and graphics that the client can readily share with SNAP stakeholders.
Capstone Year
2017-2018