The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federally funded program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) which provides benefits to eligible households in order to increases their food purchasing power and improve the nutritional adequacy of the diets of low-income families. Households are issued a debit card that they can use like a credit card in approved stores. The amount of benefits an eligible household receives depends on the number of people in the household and the amount of income the household has. Each month approximately 6,000 households in Middlesex County participate in the Food Stamp Program (SNAP).