In January 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced an “unconditional war on poverty” in the U.S. that included an expansion and reconstitution of the Food Stamp program. But the program had major flaws — the application process and requirements were significant barriers to entry, including the fact that applicants typically had to apply in person once a month. Participation rates were nowhere near the eligibility rates — by some estimates, the program only reached about 2% of those in need.