Policy & Practice | Summer 2024

Food costs are rising in Texas. SNAP can help.

Get extra money for groceries

including how relevant they were to them, whether they made them feel more positive about SNAP, and whether they made them more likely to apply. The message that was least effective was an audio ad featuring a grandmother describing how SNAP helps her provide healthy food for her grandchildren. The “Grandkids” message intended to motivate older adults living in intergenerational households, but it inadvertently reinforced a misconception that SNAP eligibility requires living with children at home—a belief reported by 37 percent of survey respondents who were eligible for SNAP but not enrolled. This finding emphasizes the importance of choosing messages that clarify common eligibility questions: Importantly, 85 percent of those not enrolled said they would apply if they knew they were eligible. The most motivating ads, particu larly for people with high self-stigma and community stigma, were those that normalized SNAP participa tion. The messages “Food costs are rising” and “Get help with your gro ceries” offered a social justification, or permission, for an uncomfortable behavior. They highlighted that many older adults need help making ends meet or are already using SNAP. One of the ads also described a “friendly and convenient” process, tapping into a common desire to avoid friction. About 85 percent of all survey respon dents found the ads to be personally relevant, and a majority of those with high self-stigma or community stigma said the ads made them think more positively about SNAP. These ads were deployed in a mar keting campaign online, in grocery stores and senior centers, and through direct mail to test their effective ness at motivating people to apply for SNAP. Based on a post-campaign online survey of 538 older adults, of those who recalled the ads, people with more exposure to the messages had lower self-stigma and were more likely to report that their opinion of SNAP improved and that they were likely to apply.

Your SNAP card works just like a debit card. Use it at grocery stores, farmers markets, and other approved locations. It’s easier than ever to sign up. SNAP specialists are ready to help every step of the way. Find out if you qualify and then apply online or by phone. Se habla español. VISIT aarpfoundation.org/TXSNAP CALL 866-935-1003

When food costs are on the rise, a trip to the grocery store can take a bite out of your monthly income. Let SNAP boost your grocery budget.

VISIT aarpfoundation.org/SNAPTexas CALL 866-913-5121 TEXT Get SNAP 2 to 74544 Find out if you qualify for an average of $133 a month .

(Above) This SNAP ad, tested in AARP Foundation’s market ing campaign, normalizes the challenge of affording food amid rising costs and gives social permission to get help.

(Right) Highlighting the easy application process appeals to a common desire for reduced friction.

To learn more about the AARP Foundation and our work on SNAP, visit aarpfoundation.org/aphsa. Reference Notes 1. Dean, O., & Figueiredo, C. A. (2024). Food insecurity increased to 1 in 10 adults ages 50 and older in 2022. Washington, DC: AARP Public Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.26419/ppi.00162.003 2. Berkowitz, S. A., Palakshappa, D., Rigdon, J., Seligman, H.K., & Basu, S. (2021). Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation and health care use in older adults: A cohort study. Annals of Internal Medicine, 174 (12), 1674–1682. https://doi.org/10.7326/M21-1588 3. Dean, O., Gothro, A., Bleiweiss-Sande, R., Navarro, S., & Reynolds, M. (2022). Older adult Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation series. Washington, DC: AARP Public Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.26419/ ppi.00166.000 4. Levin, M., Paprocki, A., Mack, M., & Grey, C. Older adult SNAP access. https:// www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/aarp_ foundation/pdf/2021/spr-older-adult snap-access-report-full-report.pdf Jackie Budilov is a Senior Program Manager of Health Essentials programs at the AARP Foundation. Anam Bhatti is a Program Research Manager of Impact Analytics at the AARP Foundation.

AARP Foundation is encouraged that the findings from this pilot campaign can inform outreach strat egies for other organizations and motivate older adults to apply for SNAP. Here are some ways other orga nizations can use this research: 1. Shift social norms to reduce stigma. Craft messages that emphasize the commonality and acceptability of SNAP participation among older adults. Highlighting how many seniors benefit from SNAP and addressing the rise in food costs can normalize the program and reduce self-stigma and community stigma. 2.Tailor messages to address mis conceptions about eligibility requirements. Avoid messages that might inadvertently reinforce false beliefs, such as the necessity of having children to qualify for SNAP. Instead, ensure that communica tions clarify eligibility requirements and dismantle common misconcep tions that prevent eligible seniors from applying. programs. These messages, and others designed with insights from behavioral science, can be used to increase participation rates for Medicaid, unemployment insur ance, or other programs. 3.Leverage behavior change research for other benefits

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Summer 2024 Policy & Practice