Food Assistance Program
Participation among Arizona
Households during the
COVID-19 Pandemic

Key Findings
• Despite a 28% increase in food insecurity since
the pandemic, minimal changes were observed
in rates of food assistance program participation.
• SNAP benefits were considered inadequate to
meet family needs by more than half of the
participating households.
• A fifth of SNAP participants reported that
they could not use SNAP benefits for online
purchases, even though this flexibility was
available to all SNAP participants since the
pandemic began.
• Half of WIC participants would like to use
their benefits for online purchases, but they
are currently not afforded this flexibility.
• Almost half of WIC participants reported not
being able to fully redeem their benefits in stores
due to lack of availability of WIC approved
foods during the pandemic.
• Limited hours, inconvenient locations, as well as
meals running out before the next pick up day
were identified as major challenges for using the
school meal programs.
• Food pantry beneficiaries found long lines
and limits on frequency of visits to the pantry
challenging.
• Personal convictions about independence and
concerns of having too many assets to qualify for
benefits were key concerns cited by respondents.
These concerns may have limited Arizona
households participation in available food
assistance programs that are designed to mitigate
the negative impacts of food insecurity.

Sarah Martinelli, MS, RD, SNS 1
Francesco Acciai, PhD 1
Aggie J. Yellow Horse, PhD 2
Anna Josephson, PhD 3
Punam Ohri-Vachaspati RD, PhD 1
1 College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University
2 School of Social Transformation, Arizona State University
3 Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Arizona

Introduction
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic led to disruptions
in the food supply and high rates of unemployment
and under-employment, both in Arizona and nationally.1,2
These emergencies required food assistance programs
to adapt quickly and in unprecedented ways by
relaxing eligibility criteria, improvising on delivery
modalities, and increasing benefits.3 To examine food
assistance program participation during the pandemic,
we collected data from a representative sample of 620
Arizona households. The sample was drawn from across
Arizona in July-August 2020 using an online survey.
This brief provides the summary for participation
in key food assistance programs, namely, the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the
Special Supplemental Program for Women Infants
and Children (WIC), School Food Programs, and
the emergency food assistance provided through food
pantries.

During COVID-19, food insecurity
rates increased in Arizona, but food
assistance program participation did
not change.
Food insecurity rates among Arizona households
increased by 28% since the start of the pandemic, from
25% to 32%.4 Yet, compared to 12 months prior to the
pandemic (March 2019 – March 2020), food assistance
program participation remained about the same
(Figure 1). In the prior 12 months, 26% of Arizona
households in our survey reported participating in
at least one food assistance program, compared 27%
doing so since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

See the glossary on page 6 for definitions of terms.

1

November 2020

Food Assistance Program Participation among Arizona Households during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Figure 1. Food Assistance Program Participation
among Arizona Households, Before and Since
COVID-19 Pandemic (%)

Figure 2. Arizona Households’ Participation in Any
Food Assistance Program by Household Food Insecurity
Status and Household Demographics (%)

Note: The period between March 2019 to March 2020 covered
the “12 months before the pandemic”. The period from March
2020 onwards refers to ‘since the pandemic’.

Vulnerable families participated in food
assistance programs at higher rates.

Note: The period between March 2019 to March 2020 covered
the “12 months before the pandemic”. The period from March
2020 onwards refers to ‘since the pandemic’.

Food assistance program participation, both before and
since the pandemic, was highest in households classified
as persistently food insecure (those who were food
insecure both before and since the pandemic), with
59% participating in at least one program prior to
the pandemic and 62% doing so since the pandemic
(Figure 2). The newly food insecure households (those
who became food insecure after the pandemic) experienced the greatest increase in proportion participating
in food assistance programs, which increased from 35%
to 52%. Compared to all households in the sample, food
assistance program participation rates were also higher
among households with children, households with lower
annual income (at or below $50,000), as well as among
households that experienced COVID-19-related job
disruptions (e.g., job loss, reduced hours or income,
furloughed).

SNAP participation did not change.

2

Participation rates remained at 16% overall, with slightly
over a quarter of the low-income households participating at both time points. The vast majority of SNAP
participants indicated that they found the program easy
to use (Figure 3). However, only 46% of SNAP participants thought the benefits were adequate to meet their
family’s needs, despite USDA’s issuance of emergency
supplements to SNAP households that normally receive
less than the maximum benefit. SNAP households that
already received the maximum monthly allotment were
not eligible for any additional assistance. USDA also
allowed all SNAP beneficiaries flexibility to pay for
online purchases using SNAP benefits, but nearly one
in four (23%) SNAP participants reported that they
could not pay for online groceries using their benefits.
Similarly, one in five SNAP participants said they
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Food Assistance Program Participation among Arizona Households during the COVID-19 Pandemic
could not use their full month’s benefit because of
COVID-19 related difficulties in shopping or stores
running out of food items.
Figure 3. Arizona Households’ Experience Using
SNAP during COVID-19 (%)

“It’s difficult to shop and it’s WIC
because you have to go in person
no matter what and potentially expose
yourself/family to the virus and some
stores limit the quantity of items
you can buy so you have to make
multiple trips to be able to get your
full benefits. This is really difficult
with small children and
no consistent babysitter.”
—Survey respondent

Note: Includes respondents who strongly agreed or agreed with
the statement.

WIC participation declined during
COVID-19.

Recognizing the new challenges that emerged during
the pandemic, WIC programs in Arizona utilized a
number of USDA waivers granting flexibility to WIC
participants, including waiver of physical presence
at the clinic and waivers for food substitutions3.
Nonetheless, based on our estimates, WIC participation
fell from 7% to 5% since COVID-19, and the fall
was larger for low-income households (from 12% to
5%). Further, three quarters of WIC-using households
reported challenges with limited selection of WICapproved foods in stores, and nearly half (48%) reported
not being able to use their full benefits because of
COVID-19 related difficulties in shopping and lack
of availability of WIC items in stores (Figure 4).
Figure 4. Arizona Households’ Experience Using
WIC During COVID-19 (%)

COVID-19 school closures limited
children’s access to USDA’s
reimbursable school meals.
Schools across Arizona, supported by waivers from the
USDA, were able to provide meals during COVID-19
school closures using the summer meal program
guidelines including flexibilities on location, timing,
meal patterns, meal distribution, and eligibility for
free and reduced-price meals.3 In addition, starting
in April 2020, the Arizona Department of Education
provided a novel benefit called P-EBT (pandemic
electronic benefits transfer) to families whose children
were eligible for free and reduced-price school meals.
In spite of these additional provisions, low-income
households with children reported a decrease in
school meal participation since the pandemic (from 40%
to 31%). As shown in Figure 5, most households that used
the school meal program found it helpful (78%), but
a substantial portion of families identified challenges
with school meal participation during the pandemic,
including difficulties with location (39%) and timing of
operation (41%) of distribution sites, families running out
of meals before the next pick up day (41%), and lack of
feasible delivery options (59%).

“The Pandemic-EBT was fantastic help
with our food as we struggle
through this pandemic.”
Note: Includes respondents who strongly agreed or agreed with
the statement.

3

—Survey respondent

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Food Assistance Program Participation among Arizona Households during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Figure 5. Arizona Households’ Experience Using School Meal Programs during COVID-19 (%)

Note: Includes respondents who strongly agreed or agreed with the statement.

Food pantry use increased among
households impacted by COVID-19
related job and income loss and
those that were newly food insecure.
One in four (25%) households that experienced disruptions in employment reported using a food pantry since
the pandemic, an increase from 20% pre-pandemic.
Compared to the pre-pandemic period, newly food

insecure households used food pantry more than twice
as frequently (12% vs 32%). The main barriers to using
food pantries during the pandemic were limits to how
frequently one can visit the pantry (63%) and long lines
and wait times (54%). Food pantry hours (35%) and
availability of preferred foods (35%) were also identified
by respondents as barriers (Figure 6). Despite issues
experienced with food pantries, the majority (84%) of
households found this program helpful.

Figure 6. Arizona Households’ Experience Using Food Pantries during COVID-19 (%)

Note: Includes respondents who strongly agreed or agreed with the statement.

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Food Assistance Program Participation among Arizona Households during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Arizona households expressed
concerns and identified barriers
for participating in food assistance
programs
Food assistance programs can be critical for families
during emergencies, including COVID-19. However, we
did not see an overall increase in program participation
that might have been expected given the increase in
food insecurity rates. When respondents were asked
to share their concerns and barriers for participating
in food assistance programs, two stood out (Figure 7).
First, 47% of all households and 43% of low-income
households expressed that they valued their personal
independence and did not want to rely on food assistance programs. Second, 40% of households reported
concerns they had too many assets that would prevent
them for qualifying. Respondents, especially those
from low-income households, listed paperwork and
travel to program office as additional barriers.
Figure 7. Arizona Households’ Concerns/Barriers
for Participating in Food Assistance Programs during
COVID-19 (%)

Policy Implications
• Record high unemployment rates and increased
rates of food insecurity call for maintaining and
enhancing food assistance program waivers and
supports, such as additional benefits, as well as
flexibility in program enrollment and delivery.
Current regulations that include temporary boosts
in income, such as unemployment insurance, when
calculating program eligibility need to be reevaluated, as they can result in vulnerable households temporarily losing benefits essential for
mitigating the negative impacts of increased food
insecurity during crises.
• Enhancing SNAP benefits for all beneficiaries will
ensure unmet needs of food insecure households
are addressed. SNAP participants’ ability to shop
online could be enhanced by allowing for SNAP
benefits to pay for grocery delivery options.
• Ensuring WIC participants are aware of flexibility
related to in-person clinic visits and substitution of
WIC approved items at the store can help increase
participation and redemption rates. Options for
online shopping using WIC benefits would improve
access during emergencies.
• Further innovation is needed in program delivery
for school meals to meet the needs of parents
re-entering workforce while their children are
still not attending school on a regular basis.
• Reducing administrative barriers for program
enrollment and for receipt of benefits are critical for
mitigating the negative impacts of increased food
insecurity during COVID-19.

Methods

Note: Includes respondents who strongly agreed or agreed with
the statement.

5

In July-August 2020, a sample of 620 adult Arizona residents
responded to an online survey of households contacted through
a survey research firm (Qualtrics). Survey respondents were
selected to be representative of Arizona population, with an
over-sampling of respondents from low-income households. The
respondents in the sample reside in 75 different towns, from 15
out of the 16 counties in AZ. Most respondents lived in Maricopa
county (60%), followed by Pima (17%), and Pinal (6%) counties.
Respondents were 18-86 years old, with the average age being
47. Half (49%) of the respondents were from low-income households (i.e., with an annual income in 2019 lower than $50,000);
54% were non-Hispanic white and 34% were Hispanic; 39% had
a college degree; 17% were foreign-born. Participants were asked
to answer questions on a variety of topics including food security,
food access, food assistance program participation, as well as

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Food Assistance Program Participation among Arizona Households during the COVID-19 Pandemic
households and individual demographic characteristics. All
analyses were adjusted for sampling weights so that results can
be generalized to all Arizona households. The period from March
2019 to March 10, 2020 was referred to as prior to the pandemic
while the period after March 11, 2020 aims at capturing what has
changed since the pandemic. A series of briefs from this survey
are available at asufoodpolicy.org and nfactresearch.org.

Acknowledgments
This project was supported by a COVID-19 seed grant from the
College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University.

About NFACT
This research is conducted as part of The National Food Access
and COVID Research Team (NFACT). NFACT is a national
collaboration of researchers committed to rigorous, comparative,
and timely food access research during the time of COVID-19.
We do this through collaborative, open access research that
prioritizes communication to key decision-makers while building
our scientific understanding of food system behaviors and policies.
To learn more visit nfactresearch.org.

Citations
1. US Department of Labor. dol.gov/ui/data.pdf. Accessed on
9/22/2020.
2. The Hamilton Project. hamiltonproject.org/blog/the_
covid_19_crisis_has_already_left_too_many_children_
hungry_in_america. Accessed on 9/22/2020.
3. USDA Food and Nutrition Services. (September 22, 2020).
Arizona: COVID-19 Waivers & Flexibilities. Retrieved from
fns.usda.gov/disaster/pandemic/covid-19/arizona.
4. Acciai F, Yellow Horse AJ, Martinelli S, Josephson A,
Evans T, Ohri-Vachaspati P. Impacts of COVID-19 on
Food Security in Arizona. College of Health Solutions,
Arizona State University, November 2020.
5. USDA Economic Research Services. (September 9, 2020).
Survey Tools. Food Security in the US. Retrieved from:
ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-securityin-the-us/survey-tools/#six

Glossary
Low-income households: Households with annual
income less than $50,000 per year.
USDA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, oversees food
assistance program benefits including SNAP, WIC,
school meals and others.
SNAP: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(formally known as Food Stamps). An income-based
program that provides financial benefits to supplement
food budgets of low-income families.
WIC: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for
Women, Infants, and Children provides supplemental
foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for
low-income pregnant and postpartum women, and to
infants and children up to age five.
P-EBT: Pandemic-Electronic Benefits Transfer provides
assistance to households with children who are eligible
for free or reduced-price school meals during COVID-19
school closures.
Food insecure households: Food insecurity was
measured using the USDA’s validated six-item household food security survey module.5 Respondents who
answered affirmatively to 2 or more of the food insecurity
questions were considered food insecure5. Respondents
who were food insecure at both in the 12 months prior
to the pandemic (March 2019 – March 2020) and since
the pandemic (since March 2020) were classified as
persistently food insecure. Those who were food secure
but became food insecure since the pandemic were
classified as newly food insecure. The food secure
category includes households that were food secure
since COVID, regardless of their food security status
prior to the pandemic.

Suggested Citation
Martinelli S, Acciai F, Yellow Horse AJ, Josephson A, Ohri-Vachaspati P. “Food Assistance Program Participation among Arizona
Households during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, November 2020.

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