With the changing economic and policy environment over the past decade, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly the food stamp program) experienced extraordinary growth. In fiscal year 2011, one out of every seven U.S. residents received SNAP benefits, up from one out of every sixteen in the 2001 fiscal year. SNAP now provides $72 billion in benefits to 45 million individuals. As such, the role of SNAP in the social safety net merits attention. This session brings together academics, researchers, and practitioners to discuss new research on SNAP, including how to measure participation in survey data, why people participate in the program and how local economic factors affect program take-up. Research presented in this session will contribute to improving the design of this vital program, as well as informing policymakers on future trends in SNAP participation.