Promising Practices - Montana

Montana – To help farm workers, the Food Stamp Program is brought quite literally to the field by the Lake County Office of Public Assistance in Polson. Under tents and awnings in a field adjacent to the packing warehouse, the local office staff have been issuing timely, accurate benefits to more than 400 seasonal farm worker households during a two-week period each July since 1995. For most households, there was no one who could go to the local office to do the paperwork, so the local office and the growers worked together to find a way to help farm workers without taking them out of the field during the most critical hours of the day. For more information, contact: Marilyn Becker, Director, Lake County Office of Public Assistance, 406-883-7830, mbecker@mt.gov.

Montana - The Department of Public Health and Human Services - Food Stamp Unit partners with local food banks, food pantries and other social service organizations throughout the State to provide Food Stamp Program outreach. Local food bank leaders recruit volunteers who are then trained by Food Stamp Unit staff. The volunteers are then able to assist individuals in completing food stamp applications. Many volunteers are professionals working in the local health departments, schools, senior centers and homeless shelters. Applications are made available at these facilities as well as in some grocery stores, and many locations have access to the online assessment tool. The Missoula Food Bank, contractor for the State, is considered to have an exemplary outreach program. For more information, contact: Yvette Barnier, Program Officer, Department of Public Health and Human Services, Helena MT 59601, 406-444-7483, ybarnier@mt.gov.

Montana - The Department of Public Health and Human Services - Food Stamp Unit has organized an Outreach Committee which meets monthly consisting of representation from the Food Stamp Unit, Food Banks, Food Bank Coalition, faith-based organizations, Legal Services, and the local staff from Food and Nutrition Service. Community resources involvement in the outreach effort has been received very well. For example, the Department of Civic Engagement at the University of Montana did a mass informational campaign in their county; radio stations throughout the state were provided with Food Stamp Program public service announcements which are being aired; posters and pamphlets were supplied to all community resources; persons on Social Security Insurance were not enrolled for Food Stamp Program benefits were automatically sent an informational letter about food stamps. For more information, contact: Yvette Barnier, Program Officer, Department of Public Health and Human Services, Helena MT 59601, 406-444-7483, ybarnier@mt.gov.

Last modified: 04/30/2009