With more than 30 percent of Athens County residents living below the poverty level, many families and individuals are faced with a tight food budget — which is why one in six residents are on food stamps.
A federal and state funded program called the Food Assistance Program provides these individuals with food assistance, according to a news release from Athens County Job and Family Services.
The national program, regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Division, is called Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
This program assists low-income families and individuals in buying healthy food. In Ohio, recipients receive an Ohio Directions card, which is used like a debit card to purchase the food they need, according to the Job and Family Services 2010 annual report.
Nearly 13,000 of the more than 19,000 people living below the poverty level in the county have received food assistance benefits at some point last year, according to the department.
Because Athens County is one of the most impoverished counties in the state, it’s not surprising there are so many local people in the program, said Nick Claussen, spokesman for Athens County Job and Family Services.
Although many in the county receive food assistance, Claussen said those individuals should be receiving more.
“I think we need to give more to the people who need (these benefits),” he said.
From 2009 to 2010, the number of Athens County residents receiving benefits from the program increased by nearly 1,800 people. Since 2006, the number has increased by 3,000, according to the report.
The increase in those using food stamps in Athens County corresponds with the rise in county unemployment, from 5.8 percent in 2006 to 9.6 percent in 2010, according to the report.
In the state, the average recipient of food assistance receives $138.27 per month — but those in Athens receive $135, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
The amount of people receiving food assistance in the state has increased as well. Since 2009, there has been a 13.9 percent increase to 1.8 million state residents in 2010, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Even though the average Ohio resident receives more monthly benefits than the average Athens resident, monthly benefits have decreased 2.6 percent, to $138.27 in 2010 from $141.97 in 2009, according to the Ohio department.
While the program aids one in six Athens residents, the national program aids one in seven Americans, according to the Food Research and Action Center.
Despite receiving aid, many Athens residents still don’t have enough food each month, said Claussen, adding that many families only receive enough money to cover the cost of two weeks’ worth of food.
“Families need more money from these benefits,” Claussen said. “Some people need two more weeks’ worth of food and can’t get it with food stamps.”
Additional assistance to those in need is provided through 16 countywide food pantries, such as Athens Community Church Food Pantry.
Nadia Mitchell, a pantry volunteer, said that between 150 and 175 people come to the pantry for both emergency food boxes and diapers.
“Emergency food boxes are more to supplement,” Mitchell said. “People come at the end of the month when their benefits run out or the food stamps haven’t kicked in yet.”
The pantry receives food from the Logan food bank and last month received 1,500 pounds of food for its emergency food boxes.
“We are so happy to be someone’s helping hand,” Mitchell said. “Everyone deserves it.”
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