500 persons on food stamp waitlist; number seen to grow

A large number of people have been found eligible to avail of food stamp benefits but will not be accorded assistance due to the lack of funds, according to Community and Cultural Affairs Secretary Melvin Faisao yesterday.

Faisao disclosed that about 500 individuals are on the food stamp waitlist since May this year—a trend that he describes as “alarming” because it indicates that more and more families are suffering from economic hardship.

This is only the second time for the agency to have such a large number on its waitlist, Faisao said. The first time was in 2007 with a few hundred individuals.

He said the work hour cuts and massive layoffs of workers in both private and public sectors are among the reasons for the increasing number of poor families in the Commonwealth.

Faisao believes the number on the food stamp waitlist will continue to increase because of the Commonwealth’s worsening economic situation. Majority on the waitlist are families on Saipan.

“Government austerity does have impact but the overall factor is the state of the Commonwealth economy,” said Faisao.

DCCA records indicate that, as of June 2011, a total of 9,700 individuals are receiving food stamp benefits. Until such time that additional funding is received, Faisao said the program will not be able to accommodate all eligible applicants.

In May this year, DCCA slashed food stamp benefits by 34.6 percent to enable the program to accommodate more beneficiaries. Other measures implemented to keep the program afloat included placing all new and reopened clients on a waitlist and cutting clients’ benefits depending on the availability of funds.

Also known as the Nutrition Assistance Program, the food stamp program was created to promote the general welfare of CNMI residents and maintain their well-being by raising the levels of nutrition among low-income, zero-income, and needy families and individuals.

According to the program’s income guidelines, to be eligible for food stamps, the size of a family’s benefit must be based on its income and certain expenses. The poverty level is higher for bigger families and lower for smaller families.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been giving the CNMI $12 million for NAP since 2009. NAP is funded through a block grant and has been implemented in the CNMI since 1982.