This report describes individuals’ patterns of participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) from 2004 to 2006, a period of caseload growth and improving economic conditions. Based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), the study explores reasons that individuals enter and leave SNAP, how long they receive SNAP benefits, and whether they return to the program after exiting.
The report also examines whether participation patterns in the mid-2000s changed from earlier periods. This report is a companion to Determinants of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Entry and Exit in the Mid-2000s.