• food support update december 2007

Where does Minnesota Stand Nationally When it Comes to Food Support Participation?

The Minnesota Food Support Program (funded by the Federal Food Stamp Act) is a program that helps low-income families buy nutritious food from local grocers. However, only about 60% of eligible households participate in the program. This means that Minnesota is missing out on additional federal funds to help low-income households, money that would be spent in local communities and help families and retailers during lean economic times.

Hunger Solutions Minnesota continues to support outreach for the Food Support Program. Tikki Brown, Food Support Outreach Coordinator with the Office of Economic Opportunity, recently presented information to the HSM Board. Below is a summary of that information:

  • In 2005 Minnesota ranked 43 out of 51 states according to the USDA’s measurements which measured the degree to which low income people access the Food Support Program.
  • Low participation rates affect the potential of federal money influencing Minnesota’s economy.
  • If we increased participation by 19,000 people (an almost 7% increase), low income people woud have $12,400,000 per year to purchase food.

Major changes in the Food Support program will hopefully impact the participation rate. Those changes include:

  • The combined application for the Department of Human Services has been changed from nineteen pages to eight.
  • The simplified application form and process for the Food Support Program will be implemented by 1/1/2008. The change will be piloted in a few counties in January with a statewide roll-out of the condensed application by spring 2008.
  • Recipient households will be required to report every six months rather than the current requirement of monthly household income reporting. This change is effective 5/1/2008.

Hunger Solutions Minnesota will work to increase participation rates by extending programs such as the Minnesota Food Assistance Program and advancing policy changes that will reduce barriers to the participation.

Contact Tikki Brown at tikki.brown@state.mn.us or 651-431-3811/877-396-6383 with any questions regarding the Minnesota Food Support Program.