Perilous
Times
US Food stamp use rises to record 46 million
By Blake Ellis August 4, 2011: 5:03 PM ET
Food stamp use hit an all-time high in May.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Nearly 15% of the U.S. population relied on
food stamps in May, according to the United States Department of
Agriculture.
The number of Americans using the government's Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) -- more commonly referred to
as food stamps -- shot to an all-time high of 46 million in May,
the USDA reported. That's up 12% from a year ago, and 34% higher
than two years ago.
The program provides monthly benefits to low-income individuals
and families, which they can use at stores that accept SNAP
benefits.
To qualify for food stamps, an individual's income can't exceed
$1,174 a month or $14,088 a year -- an amount that is 130% of the
national poverty level.
The average food stamp benefit was $133.80 per person and $283.65
per household in May.
The highest concentration of food stamp users were in California,
Florida, New York and Texas -- where more than 3 million residents
in each state received food stamps in May.
The rise in food stamp use comes as the U.S. job market continues
to sputter, and food prices across the country climb.
Unemployment benefits at risk
But a spike in food stamp users in Alabama may have been
responsible for pushing total usage unusually higher in May.
Following a series of devastating storms, many residents received
disaster assistance under the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program, the USDA said. Food stamp use in the state
surged from 868,813 in April to 1,762,481 in May.
"USDA does not anticipate that trend of increase to continue,
given that it appears to represent a response to a single
disaster," the USDA said.