Steady climb in numbers getting aid to buy food

Since last fall, the number of Wolf River Region residents receiving help to buy food has risen dramatically.

In the four-county area of Shawano, Waupaca, Oconto and Menominee counties, the average number of people receiving benefits under the state’s FoodShare program has increased about 18 percent, according to figures compiled by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

It’s an indication of the economic downturn in the region, and perhaps how hard it’s hitting area residents. Statewide, the number of recipients is up 12.3 percent.

“We’ve seen a steady increase since September,” said Rick Kane, director of the Shawano County Social Services Department. “There’s always an increase, a seasonal impact I would call it, but they have gone up more this year.”

Through November, the average number of people in Shawano County benefiting from the FoodShare program (formerly food stamps) each month was 2,462. That compares with 2,107 for all of 2007, meaning an increase of 17 percent for the year so far.

Many clients have several jobs, Kane said, and are still unable to pay rising costs of utilities.

“We see a lot of what we call the working poor here — people who are gainfully employed and having a hard time having ends meet because they cannot cover the cost of their utilities and their whole lifestyle — they just can’t afford it,” Kane said. “It’s not a question of money management either — it’s that money isn’t going far enough.”

The year-to-date average of the number of recipients was up 9.5 percent on the Menominee Reservation, 17.5 percent in Oconto County and 23 percent in Waupaca County.

Chris Machamer, coordinator of the economic and employment support division for Waupaca County, said her office started seeing increases in numbers which fuel prices spiked last summer.

“When the gas prices went up so high, that’s when we started seeing increases in our numbers. That was around July,” Machamer said “We had a record number of intakes that we did that month.”

Machamer said the economic situation is hard on everybody, but the downturn in the economy has hit the low-income people the hardest.

“People in middle and upper income have had to give up some of their discretionary income and give up some of the fun stuff,” she said. “But for low-income people — it’s cutting into the necessities of life.”

To be eligible for FoodShare, a person must have monthly income under the federal poverty level, which is $1,767 for a family of four. However, the gross income level is 130 percent of the federal poverty level, from which shelter, utilities and excess medical expenses can be deducted.

“We always encourage people to apply, even if they think they’re above the limit,” said Stephanie Smiley, a spokesperson for the Department of Health Services, which administers the program.

Funds for FoodShare come from the federal government. The average household received $218 in November.

“If you have way less (income) than 100 percent of the poverty level, your benefit is going to be way more,” she said.

People receiving FoodShare benefits access the funds through the Quest card that’s debited by merchants who accept it as payment. The money can be used to purchase almost any type of food (and seeds and plants to grow food). Hot food or items intended to be eaten in the store are excluded.

Smiley said that statewide, DHS is seeing a record number of people enrolling in the FoodShare program. Some has been through streamlining the application process and making it available online, while economy is driving the rest.

“With the economy the way it is, we’ve been encouraging people to seek out these types of benefit programs,” Smiley said. “It’s tough on everybody.”

Area counties showed a slight decline in the number of recipients and benefits paid in November, but Smiley said the reduction was not statistically significant.

The state figures show most Wisconsin counties began showing increases in the fall of 2007, and the numbers continued to rise throughout 2008.

Sarah Bartz, economic support supervisor with Shawano County, said some of the recent increase in Shawano County usage could be attributable to typical fall activities.

“When school starts, there’s a push by the schools to get the word out about free and reduced lunch, and sometimes that will impact an increase in applications to us,” she said. “Also, it’s easier for people to apply because they have the ability to do it on the Internet. That takes the stigma away.”

A slowing job market will be a factor in the upcoming months too, Bartz said.

“It’s going to be challenging, because with layoffs the job market opportunities are going to change,” she said. “Individuals who haven’t worked for a long time are going to have trouble securing employment because those who have just left jobs are more employable. That’s going to be the challenge to individuals who have a poor work history or gaps in their employment.”

But there’s help at the Job Center, she said, for people wanting to upgrade their skills with basic Internet training and workshops.

Machamer said she’s anticipating many more people will be eligible for FoodShare this year. One Waupaca County company plans to eliminate or move 250 jobs, while another major employer is widely expected to cut back.

“Some of the big layoffs in this county we haven’t even begun seeing the effect of,” Machamer said.

“I think we’re actually going to see our numbers get worse before it slows down,” she added.

Kane said the economy runs on a cycle.

“Times are hard, but we’ll get through this,” he said.

— For information on applying for FoodShare, visit your local county Social Services department or go to http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/foodshare/

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