Library: News Release
Phone: (405) 521-3027 Fax: (405) 522-3146
e-mail: Stephanie.Bond@OKDHS.org
Oklahoma Food Stamp Participation Increases by 15 Percent
OKLAHOMA CAPITOL -- Oklahoma has received the prestigious United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service Southwest Region Director’s Award for its Food Stamp Program.
“This award represents the highest symbol of excellence in overall agency performance,” said Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) Director Howard H. Hendrick, who accepted the award June 5 at the 2007 Tri-Regional Food Stamp Program Improvement Conference in Atlanta. “Our staff has really taken on the challenge of tackling hunger in Oklahoma.”
OKDHS earned the award for achieving the highest combined points for Food Stamp Program access, customer service, most improved in payment accuracy and negative actions and program integrity. The Southwest Region includes Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico.
”In fiscal year 2004, of those low-income families eligible to receive food stamps to help them regain self-sufficiency, 60 percent participated in the Food Stamp Program,” said Hendrick. “In fiscal year 2006, we raised that participation rate to 75 percent. Helping a family put food on the table is an extremely powerful social service.”
OKDHS also earned the Southwest Region’s Pinnacle Award for Outstanding Customer Service.
In federal fiscal year 2002 an average of 316,809 Oklahomans participated monthly in the Food Stamp Program. In federal fiscal year 2006, an average of 434,211 Oklahomans participated monthly.
“That translates into $10 million a year of food coming into Oklahoma for low-income families,” said Hendrick. “We’re serving 100,000 more Oklahomans with no more staff. Receiving an award for outstanding customer service speaks very highly of the commitment and dedication of our staff.”
The Food Stamp Program enables low-income families to buy nutritious food with an Access Oklahoma electronic benefits card. Families receiving food stamp benefits buy eligible food in authorized stores. The USDA funds the Food Stamp Program; no state funds are required. The USDA determines the amount of food stamps an individual or family may receive through the Thrifty Food Plan, which estimates how much it costs to buy food and prepare nutritious, low-cost meals for a household. This estimate changes every year to keep up with changing food prices.
According to the USDA, the average monthly benefit per Oklahoman is $89.42. Ten percent of food stamp cases receive $10 or less per month.
Food stamp eligibility depends on the amount of income available to the household. Able-bodied adults without dependents between the ages of 18 and 50 must be exempt or comply with specific work requirements. OKDHS social services specialists in county human services centers process food stamp applications according to specific USDA requirements.
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