Log In


Reset Password
Opinion Editorial Cartoons Op-Ed Editorials Letters to the Editor

Food stamps

The county should boost outreach efforts to enroll eligible residents

The federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program is a safety net that provides essential resources to feed those who lack sufficient means to do so on their own. The money flows from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to states, which then charge counties with distributing it to their residents in need. There are many good reasons for connecting those eligible with the food stamp benefits that ensure they and their families are adequately fed – and there are many good reasons that doing so can be challenging. La Plata County is experiencing those challenges and should work to remedy them so that more residents can get help putting food on the table.

A study released last month by Hunger Free Colorado found that La Plata County is lagging in enrolling eligible individuals and families in the SNAP program – and significantly so: Just 43 percent of those who qualify for nutrition assistance are receiving it here. The reason is relatively simple and wholly understandable: The county’s Human Services Department, which administers food stamps, has lacked the bandwidth to reach out to the remaining 57 percent who may not know of their eligibility or the services available to help them. Now, though, Human Services should work to close the gap.

The department has effectively administered nutritional assistance to those who have sought the aid, but as director Lezlie Mayer noted, the effort has been largely reactive. “The focus has been on processing and accuracy of the cases, and with limited resources, we’ve been focusing on meeting the needs of those who come through our doors,” Mayer said. “We have not focused on any kind of outreach to get folks in who may not be applying.” With 3,266 people enrolled in the program – representing less than half of those who qualify for help – there is a clear need to invoke a more proactive approach.

Food stamps are available to those who earn no more than 130 percent of the federal poverty line. Those who receive the benefit must be employed – or seeking employment and not voluntarily leave a job or reduce their hours. There are other eligibility requirements as outlined by the USDA, but the bottom line is that the program is for those who are sufficiently challenged in making ends meet as to compromise a basic need: that of feeding themselves and their families. The county should endeavor to make the connection between the services available to help.

There are a number of ways the county could improve its outreach, and draw on other resources in the community to let residents know about food stamp eligibility. School districts in Durango, Bayfield and Ignacio could assist with educating families about the program, and help identify those who might qualify. Axis Health Systems provides a screening tool on its website and helps link clients to various assistance programs. The Durango Community Shelter’s staff provides that counseling as well. The Human Services Department can team with these and other partners to develop a strategic outreach plan that identifies opportunities for connecting more La Plata County residents with the food assistance they may need. If the help is available, those who can use it should – and the county should take the lead in making that happen.



Reader Comments