Post by Stanford University Graduate School of Business

Government programs exist to help low-income families afford housing, health care, and food. But Charlotte Weiner, MBA ’24, asks, “Why do over $100 billion in benefits go unclaimed?” Weiner found that 12 million Americans left over $15 billion in food stamps unclaimed in 2023. Another 10 million who could have received free health care weren't enrolled. And a utility assistance program that helps families pay heating and electric bills? Only one in five eligible households was signed up. The problem isn’t just awareness, but the application process itself, which Weiner has witnessed by helping people apply for SNAP benefits. After weeks of waiting for responses, hours on the phone, and unending requests for more documentation, many people simply give up. This, Weiner says, is the “process of trying to apply for and access the benefits you deserve.” There’s a social cost as well as an economic one. “On average, folks who get food stamps are approved for $190 a month — literally all of it is spent at grocery stores,” she says. With $15 to $20 billion in unclaimed food stamps annually, that’s billions in lost revenue for the private sector. Weiner believes boosting the economy and bolstering the social safety net are important even for those who don’t need the assistance. “We all have a stake in the game in making it simple and easy for folks to access the benefits they deserve,” she says. This video is from LOWkeynotes: Student presentations on ideas that change lives, organizations, and the world. https://brnw.ch/21x1VJI

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