ONE IN FIVE MOUNTAIN STATE RESIDENTS RECEIVE FOOD STAMPS

(11/09/2010)

The number of West Virginians receiving food stamps jumped more than 29,000 after the U.S. Department of Agriculture relaxed their eligibility requirements in October 2008. The federal agency removed personal assets like real estate and cars from its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) allowing for greater eligibility. The latest report says enrollment in WV had already increased steadily from fiscal year 2005 to 2008, rising from 262,442 to 276,800. West Virginia, before the recession, was near the bottom in income, one of the poorest states in the union. But food stamp enrollment jumped in 2009 to 305,960. Delegate Don Perdue, chairman of the House of Delegates' Health and Human Resources Committee, said he thinks a hobbled economy and increased unemployment has probably affected the food stamp rolls more than anything else. Perdue said the Century Aluminum plant in Jackson County shut down and other big plants and mines shut down or laid off workers. From January to December 2007, 4.2 percent of West Virginia workers were unemployed. Unemployment averages increased slightly to 4.3 percent in 2008. The unemployment figure jumped substantially in 2009 with 7.9 percent of workers unemployed. In some counties, the unemployment numbers are in double digits. The unemployment numbers only reflect workers who are currently drawing unemployment benefits. After dropping from the unemployed roster, the unemployed are no longer statistically reported.

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