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David Stanley Ford

500,000 Oklahomans receive food stamps
July figures set new record

FROM STAFF REPORTS    Comments Comment on this article7
Published: August 8, 2009

For the first time, more than 500,000 Oklahomans received food stamps in a single month, according to July records from the state Department of Human Services.

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Agency officials said 509,627 people received food stamps through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which represents an increase of 17,713 individuals over the previous month.

Also for the first time in the program’s history, there were 217,340 food stamp cases in July, an increase of more than 9,000 cases over June.

DHS Director Howard Hendrick said his staff is adding more than 750 Oklahomans to the food stamp rolls daily.

Hendrick said the growing numbers of food stamp recipients equates to 14 percent of all Oklahomans and more than 25 percent of Oklahoma children.

The average benefit is about $3.50 per person per day, he said.

The receipt of federal stimulus dollars earlier this year increased the maximum monthly allotment for a four-person household in Oklahoma from $588 to $668.

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David Stanley Ford


Related Topics: U.S. State Government, U.S. Government, Social Services Funding, Public Finance, Domestic Policy, Federal Budget, Political Policy, Politics, Social Issues, Economic Policy, Local Politics, Food Security and Hunger, Economic Stimulus


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Food that has the highest fat and starch content and has the longest shelf life is usually the cheapest. Fresh food is seldom bought with food stamps because 'fresh' generally has the shortest shelf life. There are lots of us, Floyd, who would likely not be around had it not been for beans, cornbread, and 'taters.
Kevin, Oklahoma City - Aug 8, 2009 at 6:15 pm
dappie, I was raised very poor and the food we had that didn't come from our farm consiste of lots of corn meal and beans.
I used to take a family of 4 grocery shopping and was amazed at all the junk such as Coke (not the low priced immitation drinks) they could buy. Of course, not having to pay a sales tax helped a bunch.
By the way, as poor as we were 65 years ago, we never took handouts or commodities except for what was served at school lunch.
Most of the kids would eat the dessert and drink the milk and dump the "food" in the trash.
Floyd, Oklahoma City - Aug 8, 2009 at 5:36 pm
floyd, I am not going to make any excuses, but the cheapest things in the store are usually the worst for you. If you think you can eat healthy on foodstamps, try feeding a family of four on $350 per month.
dappiesdad, dappiesplace - Aug 8, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Yes, Kevin, I guess Oklahoma is not recession proof.Being hungry will help Mayor Cornett reach his goal of Oklahoma losing weight.
Strange thing tho, I seem to see some VERY fat people with food stamps.
Floyd, Oklahoma City - Aug 8, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Jerry, at least in theory, to qualify for social services, one has to have at least a social security number. I have heard that in elementary schools, at times, this requirement is overlooked.
Kevin, Oklahoma City - Aug 8, 2009 at 4:51 pm
How many of this 500,000 are not here legally?
Jerry, Oklahoma City - Aug 8, 2009 at 1:15 pm
One in four Oklahoma children on foodstamps? (whimper) Recession proof? Sounds like its time to vote for more corporate welfare.
Kevin, Oklahoma City - Aug 8, 2009 at 8:51 am

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