Food stamp eligibility expands, By Mary Vorsino, September 23, 2010, Honolulu Star Advertiser: “About 22,000 more Hawaii residents will be eligible for food stamps starting next month, when the state changes the income cut off for the benefits to up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level — the maximum allowed for the program. The change will further boost participation in a program that has seen skyrocketing growth in recent years and now serves more than 10 percent of the state’s population. Under the changes, a family of four could earn up to $50,736 a year and still qualify for food stamps, formally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Now, food stamp recipients can earn up to 130 percent of the poverty level (or $32,976 for a family of four)…”
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty