Release No. 0404.02

Alisa Harrison (202) 720-4623
Jean Daniel (703) 305-2286

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2002 -- Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced grants totaling over $5 million to improve access and awareness of USDA’s Food Stamp Program for low-income households. Grants were given to 19 local and state organizations across the nation to implement outreach efforts for assisting the working poor, elderly, legal immigrants and low-income families. USDA also unveiled new educational materials designed to support outreach initiatives across the country awareness to the program.

“Providing nutrition assistance to eligible families is a top priority for the Bush administration,” said Veneman. “Partnerships among local organizations and state and federal governments will help provide the nutrition assistance families need.”

The Food Stamp Program, administered by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), is the cornerstone of federal nutrition assistance programs and provides crucial support to working poor and needy households. The program provided an average of $1.3 billion a month in benefits to participants in fiscal year 2001.

“We want to ensure that everyone who is eligible for food stamps knows about the program and knows where to go to participate,” said Eric M. Bost, undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services during a visit to Miami, Fla., where he presented the grant to the Human Services Coalition of Dade County. “State and local organizations provide unique approaches to reach eligible people and that’s what these grants are all about.”

In 2001, $3.7 million dollars was awarded to 14 community-based organizations to improve program access through new technology and partnerships. The 2002 grantees, through program education and the use of new technology, will improve methods of applying for food stamps by allowing individuals to submit applications from partnering organizations such as schools and food banks.

Nineteen grants were awarded out of over 100 proposals from states, nonprofit groups and other organizations. Representatives from federal agencies and advocacy partners assisted FNS in the evaluation and selection of grantees. The outreach grants will be used for increasing food stamp awareness of legal immigrants, the working poor, elderly and low-income families and individuals.

A complete list of the grants is below. For more information on the food stamp outreach grants, visit our Web site at http://www.fns.usda.gov/ .

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