Food Stamps
- Community Policing
- Food Stamps
- Health Services
- Social Services
- Dad's Club
- Price Community Builder Fellowship Program
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly Food Stamps), is a Federally Regulated program which provides credit for food purchases to an individual earning less than one hundred thirty percent (130%) of the poverty level. In City Heights, this is anyone earning less than thirteen thousand two hundred eighty four dollars ($13,284). Approximately twenty-four thousand four hundred (24,000) people are eligible for Food Stamps in City Heights, but only seven thousand seven hundred (7,700) receive them. This is a thirty-one percent (31%) participation rate. The remaining sixteen thousand seven hundred (16,700) eligible residents do not participate for a number of reasons. The reasons eligible recipients do not apply include time, the bureaucracy, fear of home inspections and required quarterly recertification. This lost opportunity has an estimated annual value of sixteen million dollars ($16,000,000).
In response to this crisis, Price Charities partnered with the San Diego Hunger Coalition (SDHC) and the County of San Diego to provide:
- One (1) fulltime program coordinator's base salary (SDHC will cover additional cost of employment benefits), to prescreen applicants to conformance with county requirements;
- Additional office space in City Heights Center for coordinator office and intake area;
- County employee training and technology upgrades to increase the local office's capacity to process applicants;
- Transportation costs associated with accompanying eligible residents to the County office.
The County will provide program participants priority processing when applying for Food Stamps and the County office during specified days and times of the week. Social Services Directory 211 San Diego will screen callers and forward all those eligible to the program coordinator.
The funding for the program coordinator is paid in part by Price Charities ($75,000) and in part by San Diego Hunger Coalition at the level of forty-five thousand ($45,000) for the first year.
Price Charities objective is to increase the rate of participation in the Food Stamp Program. A secondary objective is to increase grocery store sales resulting from food stamp redemption.
For further information about Food Stamps contact Colin Mathewson at cmathewson@pricecharities.org.