Food stamp cuts could hit 900 county families

Source: The Frederick News-Post, Md.self storageOct. 08--Hundreds of Frederick County families could find it harder to put food on the table if proposed changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program become law.About 900 Frederick County families would be affected by proposed changes to the program's eligibility requirements, according to the Maryland Department of Human Resources.A bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in late September would cut $40 billion from the SNAP food stamp program over the next decade.The bill will also change requirements, making it harder to enroll in the program.Adults between 18 and 50 without minor children would have to find a job or to enroll in a work-training program to receive benefits. Those recipients would be able to get benefits for three months.Senate Democrats have said they will block the bill.A separate proposal would reduce the eligible annual income from 200 percent to 130 percent of the federal poverty rate, DHR spokesman Brian Schleter said.The poverty level is now $19,530 for a family of three and $23,550 for a family of four.Changing the eligible income would affect 905 Frederick County households and more than 30,000 households statewide.Some states, including Maryland, are preparing for the changes in case they become law.The Department of Human Resources' fiscal 2014 budget includes a $6 million increase in temporary cash assistance to mitigate the impact of a possible federal benefit cut, Schleter said.Other states such as Delaware, Kansas, New Hampshire, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming are already cutting back on the program at the state level, according to a USA Today report.Food stamp enrollment in Frederick County has increased sharply in recent years, even as the House works迷利倉to roll back benefits.The monthly average number of people using food stamps more than doubled between 2009 and 2013, from 9,627 to 19,272. Enrollment grew 270 percent between 2007 and this year, according to data from the Frederick County Department of Social Services.Enrollment reached its highest point, 20,436 people, in August.These increases come even as the unemployment rate in the county is decreasing.The unemployment rate for the county's civilian population was about 4 percent in 2007, before the recession hit. That rate had nearly doubled by 2011, reaching about 7.5 percent. Last year, unemployment fell to about 6 percent, according to a Census Bureau survey.Katie White, assistant director of the county SNAP program, said some people using the program are employed, but may not be earning enough to make ends meet."I think that it's a mixed bag. I think that some people are receiving unemployment," she said. "I think a lot of times it is people who would like to work full time but the hours are just not available to them."The department also might be seeing an increase in food stamp use because more people are aware of the program, she said.She encouraged people struggling with their food budget to apply for the program, even if they are not sure whether they qualify. Many factors affect eligibility, including rent or mortgage payments, medical expenses and disability status, she said."I would encourage people to not hesitate, to come in to apply for benefits, because these benefits are out there, and if you're eligible, you should be using them."Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Frederick News-Post (Frederick, Md.) Visit The Frederick News-Post (Frederick, Md.) at .fredericknewspost.com Distributed by MCT Information Services自存倉