Food stamp usage is on the rise again

The number of Plumas County families who rely on food stamp assistance has nearly doubled in two years.

Social services director Elliott Smart said the numbers show “the recessionary economy has not begun to recover” in the county.

“Applications for public assistance programs have continued to trend at historic high numbers,” Smart told the county’s board of supervisors during its Feb. 21 meeting.

Smart said the quarterly trends report showed more than 250 new applications per month, on average.

“Last August we had 368 applications, which is the highest number I have ever recorded,” Smart said.

As of December, 2011, 655 families were in the CalFresh (food stamp) program. The average eligible household received about $320 per month.

See this weeks newspaper for a more detailed story.