August 2024 Pulse Survey

The following insights come from a <10-minute multiple choice and open response survey conducted by Providers. This month, responses came from 2,652 randomly selected households out of over 5M Providers users from August 1 - August 14, 2024. All respondents are EBT cardholders.

FINANCIAL INSECURITY

Financial insecurity has fallen across several indicators since August 2023.

• 31.7% of respondents reported owing money to others, down 16.5% from one year ago.
• 55.8% of households reported lacking household essentials, down from 62.15% in August 2023.
• 41.6% reported owing money on utility bills, down 9.3% from 45.9% one year ago.
• 9.6% reported having utilities shut-off, a 20% decline from one year prior.

FOOD INSECURITY

While many households have trouble affording enough food, fewer households skipped meals, ate less, and were unable to purchase preferred foods in August 2024 compared to one year prior.

• 46% ate less, a 9.8% reduction from August 2023.
• 38% of respondents skipped meals compared to 39% a year ago.
• 45% were unable to buy the kinds of food they wanted, down from 48%.

HOUSING INSECURITY

Measures of housing insecurity were reduced across several measures compared to August 2023

• Evictions declined 23%, from 6.97% to 5.35%.
• Unpaid rent reports declined 17.4%, to 13.3% down from 16.1%.
• Reports of unstable housing (living in a motel, car, or shelter) fell to 12.6% from 13.4%.

SUMMER EBT

Our August 2024 survey included an optional, open-ended question about the experience of receiving Summer EBT. We asked respondents, “Did you receive Summer EBT in 2024? If yes, how did the $120 food benefit help your family? If no, what difference would Summer EBT make for your family?” We received more than 220 responses from households indicating they had received Summer EBT. Respondents generally expressed satisfaction with the benefit, and shared that payments had a positive impact on their household budgets, including supporting the purchase of fresh produce and more nutritious food. However, some felt the benefit was insufficient for increased costs they face in the summer, especially in light of the rising price of groceries in recent years.

Additionally, there were scattered reports of challenges accessing and receiving Summer EBT, and reports of frustration among residents of non-participating states.

• Approximately 80% of respondents who received the Summer EBT benefit expressed satisfaction with the program, with many sharing examples of the program’s positive impact.
  • "Yes. It was life saving. I didn't know where my next meal was coming." - Propel user, CA
  • "Yes. It helped tremendously with groceries for me and my daughter right when we really needed it." - Propel user, LA
  • “The only way to get fresh produce and healthier foods vs prepared boxed stuff.” -Propel user, OH
    
• Around 20% of respondents who received the Summer EBT benefit expressed concerns about the sufficiency of the benefit:
  • "Yes. The payment would have been more beneficial if the $120 was a monthly deposit and not just one time/one payment only. Only because [of] the cost of groceries even at [a] low budget. Impossible to aid all of 2024 Summer months while not in school. Did not cover low cost budget lunch for one month. However, it was better than nothing at all and appreciated." - Propel user, NC
    
• We received scattered reports from consumers sharing frustration with the timing of benefit delivery, or challenges in accessing the benefit.
  • “No It would make a big difference. We haven’t received them yet or the card.”-Propel user, MI
  • "No haven't received yet. It would help me not having to skip meals to feed my kids.” - Propel user, MO
    
• Others expressed an awareness of the program, but regret that their state did not participate in 2024.
  • “My state didn’t participate in this which is very frustrating.” -Propel user, WY
  • “We did not receive it. Alabama did not participate this year. It hit us hard without.” -Propel user, AL

We've made some changes. We have shifted the cadence of the Pulse Survey from monthly to quarterly. More importantly, the Providers app is now called Propel! As of August 2024, we’ve rebranded our app to match our company name and launched a new website, www.propel.app. To learn more about our rebrand and other changes, read our press release.