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New food stamp changes benefit working poor Oregonians

More low-income Oregonians will be eligible to receive food stamps for their families beginning Friday as a result of citizen efforts to open up the food stamp program. As of December 1st, food stamps will be available to all Oregonians at or below 185% of the federal poverty level (up from 130%). This means that all families who receive free or reduced-price school meals, and all families in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, will now qualify for at least $10 worth of food stamps per month. A family of four now qualifies if their income is less than $2628 per month. In addition to the income limit change, household assets such as cars, bank accounts and other resources will no longer be counted.

"One out of eight Oregon households struggle to put food on the table. In nearly two-thirds of those households, the head of the household is working," said Mike Leachman, policy analyst at the Oregon Center for Public Policy. "By increasing the amount of income families can earn before losing their eligibility for food stamps, and by allowing the working families with vehicles to maintain eligibility, Oregon has helped assure that low-income, working parents can keep themselves and their children adequately fed."

"Prior to this change, if a family in Oregon owned a car valued at more than $4,650, they were ineligible for food stamps," said Lorey Freeman of the Oregon Law Center. "A reliable, well-running car can make the difference between work and unemployment. Now families won't have to choose between food stamps and owning a vehicle to get to work."

The state's welfare agency, the Adult and Family Services of the Department of Human Services, is making these changes based on a provision in federal law that allows states to create their own eligibility levels for food stamps. Food bank advocates say these changes will help ease the pressures facing many who visit their local food pantries for emergency food relief.

"If we continue to make the process of applying for food stamps easier," said Kim Thomas, public policy manager for Oregon Food Bank, "then even a small amount of food stamps will pay off for people struggling to make ends meet each month. And the ability to have a vehicle valued over $4,650 will open the door for food stamps for many people who have had to rely on emergency food from food banks each month to get by."

Last year, 515,000 people received emergency food boxes from the Oregon Food Bank, a 30 percent increase from 1996. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 12.6 percent of all Oregon households struggle to put food on the table.

Momentum for this latest change in the food stamp rules has been developing for months thanks to the efforts of a variety of advocacy and community organizations. These groups, including the Oregon Food Bank, Oregon Action, the Rural Organizing Project, CAUSA (an immigrant rights group), and the Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force, will now be leading an outreach effort to assure that low-income families facing high energy costs this winter benefit from the changes as soon as possible.

People interested in applying for food stamps can call the Oregon Food Stamp Toll-Free Hotline at 1-800-SAFENET (1-800-723-3638; 503-723-3638 in Portland).

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