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Background: Norfolk is ranked 4th for food insecurity at a rate of 11.3% (Feeding America, 2021). Furthermore, 17.4% of the citizens of Norfolk live below the poverty line (GHR, 2023). Participation in a publicly funded nutrition program reduces the incidence of food insecurity and SNAP sign-up events effectively research food-insecure populations (Dean, 2022). Purpose: This project identified perceived barriers to completing a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) application while assisting interested community members with the application process. Methods: Senior students at Old Dominion University, School of Nursing completed a SNAP Civil Rights training and a SNAP application workshop with a community outreach coordinator for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore. Application assistance events were planned at selected food distribution centers in Norfolk. Results: During two events, we assisted 17 participants in completing SNAP applications. Ninety-one participants refused SNAP assistance but provided reasons for refusal. The top three reasons community members provided for denying assistance included already receiving benefits, eligibility concerns, or an unspecified reason. Discussion: Further research is needed to garner more data regarding the effectiveness of a SNAP application intervention on food insecurity. Additional research is needed to understand motivations and barriers of applying and using SNAP to develop effective SNAP outreach programs.

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