This document summarizes the preliminary findings of two projects being completed by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. on the subject of certification accuracy in the National School Lunch Program: Evaluation of the National School Lunch Program Application/Verification Pilot Projects: Findings on Deterrence, Barriers and Accuracy, and Case Study of Verification Outcomes in Large Metropolitan Areas.
The WIC Participant and Program Characteristics (PC 2004) report summarizes demographic characteristics of WIC participants nationwide in April 2004, along with information on participant income and nutrition risk characteristics. A national estimate of breastfeeding initiation for WIC infants is included. The report also describes WIC members of migrant farm-worker families.
Previous studies have shown that participation rates are higher among people eligible for a relatively large food stamp benefit than among those eligible for a comparatively small benefit. This analysis seeks to determine whether or not this relationship between participation rates and benefits holds for different demographic groups within the food stamp population. This analysis confirms that the relationship holds for most demographic groups. Surprisingly, the analysis also shows that there are many nonparticipating individuals eligible for relatively large benefits