Stressed families flood DSS lobbies

As economy continues to sag, more individuals seek assistance through county social services offices

Every day, millions of individuals are hanging on with help rendered through the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) Program.

FNS is a federal food assistance program that helps low-income families. With an overall purpose of ending hunger and improving nutrition and health, FNS helps eligible low-income households buy the food they need for a nutritionally adequate diet. Through this USDA-regulated entitlement program, eligible households receive benefits loaded monthly on plastic Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards that they are able to use to purchase food items from, primarily, local merchants. This program is means-tested and therefore certain income-related requirements must be met through an eligibility determination process handled within local departments of social services (DSS).

Current North Carolina income limits and monthly allotments can be found in the chart at right.

In North Carolina, the undeniable proof that families within our communities are struggling can be found on any given business day by stepping into the human services lobby of any DSS facility. It is widely known that one sure sign of a depressed economy is a rise in food assistance applications. This is certainly true in our state, and the numbers tell the story.

Statistics show all North Carolina counties have experienced tremendous increases in FNS eligible recipients over the past several years. In December 2004, 796,668 individuals statewide were receiving FNS benefits. In November 2009 – five years later – that number soared by 38 percent to 1,285,157 individuals. While that's a significant change, increases in recipient totals within just the past 12 months are even more notable.

Over the past year alone, there has been an 18 percent hike in the state's recipient count (1,048,072 individuals were receiving this assistance in November 2008). This one-year increase is close to 50 percent of the total recipient increase realized during the five-year period stated above. This translates to an average statewide increase of more than 9,700 families per month within the past year.

What do such statistics indicate? It is certainly solid evidence of growth among not only the unemployed but the working poor as well. Sadly, it is proof that families are indeed suffering.

A noticeable surge within the past few years in the number of new recipients of such assistance has been the experience of social services agencies throughout the state. This, unfortunately, is a trend not expected to slow down anytime soon. A startling excerpt from a recent article in The New York Times reveals this program as one that "now helps feed one in eight Americans and one in four children." Additionally, a recent article in The Washington Post states that "the number of Americans who lack dependable access to adequate food shot up last year to 49 million, the largest number since the government has been keeping track."

County DSS offices feel the impact

In North Carolina, Catawba County's first signs of the economic downturn became apparent in late 2000 when large manufacturing companies began either closing their doors or moving their work overseas.

"We've seen a phenomenal amount of traffic in all of our programs, but we're seeing a huge increase in our food assistance program," said Catawba County DSS Director John Eller.

In July 2000, Catawba County had 4,956 food assistance recipients with $4.54 million issued to local families in food assistance federal benefits in the 2000-01 fiscal year. Today the county has 23,420 food assistance recipients and is on track to issue $35.5 million in food assistance federal benefits for the fiscal year. Eller said people who have never needed assistance before are making up much of the increase.

Smaller Washington County has also experienced increases. According to Washington County DSS Director Jerry Rhodes, during November 2009 a total of 21.8 percent of the county's population (based on an estimated county population of 13,600), was participating in the FNS Program. Furthermore, he reported that FNS applications during the first four months of the 2009-10 fiscal year were 7.1 percent higher than for the corresponding period of the 2008-09 fiscal year.

In Vance County, 28 percent of citizens currently receive these services – one of the highest percentages in the state.

There is at least one positive aspect tucked within this bleak picture: The billions of dollars in federal funds that these EBT benefits represent trickle down fairly rapidly to local North Carolina businesses. This in turn stimulates local economies in a dramatically positive manner.

Throughout each business day, food suppliers from larger companies such as Food Lion to smaller, local merchants within business communities can attest to such economic stimulation. In November 2009 alone, a whopping $165,924,116 in federal FNS electronic benefits was allotted to eligible N.C. families who, in turn, circulated those funds via expenditures throughout the state at local grocers.

Will local DSS offices be overburdened as the stress of financial concerns begins to hit families even harder? The sagging economy and high unemployment is forcing many first-time users of social services to ask for help feeding their families or paying their medical and utility bills. Within the past couple of years, it has been a struggle for local agencies to increase their workforce to the levels needed to properly handle the influx of cases.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds have been and are currently being used to supplement administrative expenses, however these are temporary, time-limited funds scheduled to end within the next nine months, if not earlier. Another stumbling block in North Carolina has been the recent loss of state administrative aid to counties.

Strengthening food assistance programs to improve economic security for low-income families, improving access to food assistance programs, and stimulating the economy are objectives shared throughout states, including North Carolina. To adequately address them requires proper administrative support. And, as indicated above, supporting this particular program can actually result in a major boost to the economy – something all counties could use today.

This article was contributed by the N.C. Association of County Directors of Social Services, an affiliate member of the NCACC.