As of November first, Floridians in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – better known as SNAP, or food stamps – will see a cut in their benefits. The state Department of Children and Families says the average family of four with no income will see a decrease in their SNAP benefits of $36 a month.
That’s a problem for the 3.6 million Floridians in the SNAP program. So DCF spokeswoman Alexis Lambert says the agency is trying to warn them to plan ahead.
"There's a message on our ACCESS-Florida web site. A current recipient can go into their account and see what the reduction will be for their individual case", Lambert said. "We have posters in all the service centers in three languages: English, Spanish and Creole."
The good news is that food banks statewide have known the cuts were coming, and they're ready for an increased demand. Four years ago, in the depths of the recession, members of the Florida Association of Food Banks were collecting and distributing 72 million pounds of food a year.
Now, says association director Rebecca Brislain, that's up to 173 million pounds a year.