MacIver News Service | October 7, 2010 2:01 pm
With nearly 750,000 receiving FoodShare benefits, Wisconsin has seen a 24 percent increase in the number of food stamp recipients in the last year.
“The explosion in the growth of FoodShare recipients demonstrates again how so many families in Wisconsin are struggling in this economy,” said State Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills).
Nearly three quarters of a million Wisconsin residents participated in the FoodShare program in July, an increase of 144,760 from the same month last year an a 12,158 jump from June.
Darling said the startling revelation that one in eight Wisconsinites receive food stamps should shock elected officials into action.
“Instead of moving forward with creative solutions to assist private sector job growth, the state’s political leadership only exacerbated the crisis with job-killing policies.,” said Darling. “Wisconsin lawmakers need to judge every proposal by its impact on businesses and their ability to create job opportunities for working families.”
| SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:
NUMBER OF PERSONS PARTICIPATING
|
|||||
| July | June | July | % Change July 2010 vs | ||
| 2009 | 2010 | 2010 | Jun 2010 | Jul 2009 | |
| Wisconsin | 602,732 | 735,334 | 747,492 | 1.7% | 24.0% |
Source: United States Department of Agriculture: Link
Nationally, the number of Americans receiving food stamps rose to a record 41.8 million in July.
In Wisconsin you are eligible to participate in the FoodShare program if: our family income is at or below the monthly program limit; you are a Wisconsin resident; and, you are a United States citizen or qualifying immigrant
| People in Household | Gross Monthly Income Limit | Net Monthly Income Limit | Maximum Benefit amount |
| 1 | $1,806 | $903 | $200 |
| 2 | $2,430 | $1,215 | $367 |
| 3 | $3,052 | $1,526 | $526 |
| 4 | $3,676 | $1,838 | $668 |
| 5 | $4,300 | $2,150 | $793 |
Source: Wisconsin Department of Health Services: Link
As MacIver News reported earlier, the same week in June that Wisconsin Lawmakers expressed concern over fraud in the state’s FoodShare Program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the state’s program was one of the most accurate in the country and would be rewarded with an extra $3 million.