Food Stamps Buy $2B in Sugary Bevs: DNews Nugget

Food Stamps Buy $2B in Sugary Bevs: DNews Nugget

Discovery News - Top Stories

More than half of all beverages bought were for sugar-sweetened drinks, such as regular soda.

Sent with Reeder

Sent from my iPad

DCF makes small change to food stamp policy

DCF makes small change to food stamp policy

MiamiHerald.com: Florida

State welfare officials are trying to curb fraud and waste in the food stamp program, announcing they will no longer pay food stamp benefits to residents if their mail is returned as undeliverable.

Sent with Reeder

Sent from my iPad

Report: 15% of Americans on food stamps

Report: 15% of Americans on food stamps

msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines

The number of Americans on food stamps hit a record high in June, and economists don't expect much improvement as long as unemployment remains high.

Sent with Reeder

Sent from my iPad

Farmers Markets Getting Money to Take Food Stamps

Farmers Markets Getting Money to Take Food Stamps

ABC News: U.S.

USDA is spending millions to give farmers markets technology to accept food stamps, serve more

Sent with Reeder

Key Vote: Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act

Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act

- Vote Agreed to (61-39)

The Senate passed this bill in August to provide $16.1 billion to extend increased Medicaid assistance to states and $10 billion in funding for states to create or retain teachers' jobs. The cost of the programs will be offset by changing foreign tax provisions, ending increased food stamp benefits beginning in April 2014 and rescinding previously enacted spending.

Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES
Sen. George LeMieux voted NO

Florida Wins $11.5M Food Stamp Bonus

Florida's food stamp program has been named the nation's most accurate in paying benefits for the second year in a row, earning an $11.5 million bonus from the federal government.

The Florida Department of Children and Families on Monday also announced its program has been rated the most improved in a separate category -- handing benefit denials and closures. Two years ago, Florida was most improved in payment accuracy.

Florida's award is the largest ever given to a state since the U.S. Department of Agriculture started the bonus program in 2003.

Florida's program is the nation's fourth largest, providing more than $4 billion in benefits to more than 3.5 million people last year.

Hunger hits one in seven Americans

In 2008, 14.6% of U.S. households, equal to about 49.1 million people, "had difficulty providing enough food for all their members due to a lack of resources" said USDA. The families, which the USDA calls "food insecure," went to food pantries, enrolled in anti-hunger programs and ate less varied diets.

The numbers are a significant increase from 2007, when 11.1% of U.S. households suffered from "food insecurity."

Feds: Food stamps swapped for booze, Viagra

The alleged scheme worked this way: Food stamp recipients would get cash from the store in exchange for swiping larger amounts off their electronic cards. The store would then be reimbursed by the U.S. Agriculture Department.

Story continues below ↓

---

advertisement | your ad here

---

And in some transactions, the government says the store provided informants Viagra, liquor and porn in exchange for swiping about $2,000 off food stamp cards.

The government says fraud at the store topped $130,000 over 2 1/2 years. The store is closed.

Poverty increasing in Florida, survey finds

"New figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show poverty is increasing in Florida, revealing the recession’s impact even before the most massive layoffs began."

"The American Community Survey found that 13.2 percent of people in Florida were living in poverty in 2008, up from 12.1 percent the previous year. Only one other state — California — saw a bigger increase."

"Poverty guidelines are based on family size. The threshold for a family of four is about $22,000 per year or less."

"The Florida Department of Children and Families reported that the number of people receiving food stamp assistance in August 2008 was 1.6 million, up 23 percent from the same month in 2007. In the judicial circuit that consists of Nassau, Clay and Duval counties, that number was 102,737, up 22 percent. To qualify for food stamps, family income must be no higher than 130 percent of poverty before taxes."

"Last month, the number of people on food stamps was up 40 percent in Northeast Florida and 41 percent statewide compared to August 2008."

Food stamp list soars past 35 million: USDA

"More than 35 million Americans received food stamps in June, up 22 percent from June 2008 and a new record as the country continued to grapple with the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s."

Fla. leads nation in rise in food stamp requests

"As the economy tanks, the number of families relying on food stamps for their next meal is rising nationally. Florida has seen the biggest jump, with a 29 percent increase."

"More than 408,835 new recipients were added to Florida's list in the past year, prompting state leaders to look for help in funding the increase."