Food stamp use jumped 28 percent in San Mateo County, shrinking the gap between the number of residents eligible for federal assistance and the actual number who participate.

Unlike last June, when more than half of the county’s 18,588 eligible residents were not enrolled, a mid-year evaluation shows the non-participation rate dropped to approximately 30 percent. The narrowing of numbers is good news not only for those who need help with basic necessities, but also the county which, based on a program update released in April, was losing out on approximately $11 million in precious federal food stamp dollars.

The increase in users is attributed to efforts by the Human Services Agency which began a push to educate and enroll last March — before gas prices spiked, rice grew scarce and the economy tumbled further. A month later, California Food Police Advocates ranked the county as one of the lowest performers in the state.

 HSA began working closely with the California Department of Social Services about ways to increase and retain enrollment and offered incentives to community partners for help reach out to the eligible population. Approximately 30 percent of the applications completed by these community partners are ultimately approved for benefits, according to the newest update by HSA Director Beverly Beasley Johnson and Economic Self-sufficiency Director Elsa Dawson.

HSA also began marketing the program on grocery store receipts, Caltrain and buses, holding education seminars and establishing a five-year plan. HSA officials say they are optimistic despite being “in the midst of fiscal challenges.”

Plans for this fiscal year include collaborating with the Silicon Valley Community Foundation to change or improve legislation that may be a barrier to participation, such as the fingerprint requirement, and increasing sites accepting electronic benefit transfer cards.

HSA officials are hopeful the state can speed up planned changes to the program, increasing the rolls sooner rather than later. In October, Congress re-authorized the Farm Bill which included significant policy changes, according to Beasley and Dawson:

• Increasing the minimum benefit from $10 to $14 per month and excluded tax-preferred retirement accounts from eligibility determination.

• Renaming the federal program to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), to emphasize the program is “not welfare, and not designed to be the sole food resource for a family.” The name change is optional and California has yet to switch over.

California passed AB 433, which allows California to rename the program and eliminate the asset test for applicants. The test means that an individuals’ assets in checking, savings, retirement and pension accounts are considered when determining eligibility. AB 433 doesn’t become effective, however, until July 1. HSA is asking the CDSS to implement the legislation early which would let some families with remaining resources be eligible for aid.

Michelle Durand can be reached by e-mail: michelle@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 102.  

Info box:

Food Stamp eligibility:

To get food stamps, households must meet certain tests for resources, income, deductions, employment and immigrant status. Visit the Web site for specifics, exemptions and details but a basic overview includes:

• Households may have $2,000 in countable resources, such as a bank account. Households may have $3,000 if at least one person is age 60 or older, or disabled.

•  A household with an elderly or disabled member may have up to $3,000 in resources. A household without an elderly or disabled person may have up to $2,000 in resources. Some resources are not counted, such as a home and lot and up to $4,650 of the fair market value of one car per adult household member (and one car per teen-aged household member if the teenager is using it to go to work, look for work or prepare for work).

• A household of four people must have less than $2,238 in gross monthly income or $1,721 in net monthly income.

• With some exceptions, able-bodied adults between 16 and 60 must register for work, accept suitable employment and take part in an employment and training program to which they are referred by the food stamp office. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in disqualification from the Program. Able-bodied adults between 18 and 50 without dependent children can get food stamps only for three months in a 36-month period if they do not work or participate in an employment and training program other than job search.

• Normally a household must file an application form, have a face-to-face interview and provide proof (verification) of certain information, such as income and expenses. The office interview may be waived if the household is unable to appoint an authorized representative and no household member is able to go to the food stamp office because of age or disability. If the office interview is waived, the food stamp office will interview you by telephone or do a home visit. A home visit must be scheduled beforehand with the household.

• Everyone who lives together and purchases and prepares meals together is grouped together as one household. However, if a person is 60 years of age or older and he or she is unable to purchase and prepare meals separately because of a permanent disability, the person and the person’s spouse may be considered separately.

— Information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service