More Oregonians on Food Stamps Than Ever

More than 800,000 Oregonians last January relied on food stamps to put meals on their table. That’s 22 percent of the state. An alarming percentage to most, but officials aren’t surprised by the growing number of people needing help putting food on the table.

It’s the highest number ever recorded by the Oregon Department of Human Services for people receiving SNAP — Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, benefits.

“I’m not surprised that this is the record caseload at this time. because I believe that individuals and families have exhausted all of their resources,” Angie Albiar, operations manager with the Oregon Department of Human Services, said Tuesday.

“A lot of the customers we are seeing right now have been staying with friends and families and using credit cards and have exhausted their numbers and taken out loans and this is a last resort,” Albiar said.

“We’re seeing our friends, our neighbors, our family members and some of our colleagues even,” she added.

The number could even grow higher by June.

Back in January, Oregon’s unemployment was 8.8 percent and the state reported more 5,000 jobs were created.

But according to state DHS workers, most of those jobs were still below the hours and wages they used to get.

“We have so many customers that are eager to work, and the jobs just aren’t there yet,” Albiar said. “And if there are (jobs), they are still under-employed, so they will work whatever hours they can get. However, it’s not enough to meet their families’ needs.”

All of Oregon’s 16 districts saw growth in the number of people applying for SNAP benefits.

“It’s unfortunate that we are at this point,” Alibar said. “However, that’s what we are here for — to help them get through until something else comes along.”

The numbers in Central Oregon are just as bad.

Over the past several years, DHS has seen a dramatic increase in people applying for assistance in the tri-county area.

“Jobs are scarce, and folks are eager to work. And when they do find employment its often times for part-time, and they’re not able to make ends meet,” Albiar said. “I work for this program because I used to be a customer, and I needed these services, and because I know what it’s like to be on the other side of the desk.”

And there are a lot of people on the other side of the desk.

Almost 47,000 people in Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties received SNAP benefits in January, a 6 percent increase over the past year.

The region has seen a 37 percent increase in families receiving TANF, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, with almost 1,800 families relying on the program.

“I think that people have exhausted all their resources, including unemployment, friends and families, and we are seeing a lot more two-parent families apply for cash assistance than ever before,” Albiar said.

The demand for food stamps here goes down around late spring and summer, as more outdoor and hospitality jobs become available. But they go back up in the fall.

The numbers here match the statewide growth, but officials say our area felt the economic crisis before the rest of the state. Now the rest of the state is catching up to us.

“I’m looking forward to a time when anybody who wants to work can work and have a job here in our community,” Albiar said. “In the meantime, we are here to help people make ends meet and get back on their feet.”

You can use the Oregon Trail Card at most local grocery stores, convenience stores and some local area restaurants. You can use the card for just about everything — breads and cereals, fruits and vegetables, meats and dairy products, as well as seeds and plants.

“Farmers markets have come on board within the last couple years, and that’s been very helpful, to support our nutritional goals,” Albiar said.

The off-limit restrictions include alcohol, tobacco, any non-food items, vitamins and medicines, or pre-made hot foods often found in grocery stores.