More Colorado families ask for help with food

DENVER - The name has changed, from "food stamps" to "food assistance." The demand for that resource has also changed; thousands more people need it.

"From October of 2007 to December of 2008, we have had a 20 percent increase in the food stamp caseload statewide," said Colorado Department of Human Services spokesperson Liz McDonough.

Adams County is a model of that trend, with a 23 percent increase in the number of Food Assistance Program applications from November to December 2008.

Adams County Social Services Division Director Mark Tandberg says it's a rise as sharp as any he's ever seen.

"I think we set a new record," he said, "one that you don't want to set."

Both Tandberg and McDonough cite a slowing economy.

"If you look at unemployment going up, there's a direct correlation between unemployment rising and Food Assistance cases rising," said McDonough.

Christa Mashburn never thought she'd need food assistance until she lost the job she'd held for four years.

The 28-year-old single mother says her 10-year-old son convinced her to go to Adams County Social Services to seek help.

"I should be able to take care of my family. But right now, you just can't," she said. "You have to do what you have to do."

McDonough advises anyone who needs Food Assistance, as the program is known in Colorado, to apply in person at their county's Social Services office. She says, since the program is federally-funded, the money will be there for people who need it.

"The thing to remember about Food Assistance is it's not driven by appropriation. If you're eligible, you get it," she said.

The increased demand has lead to problems in Adams County and other counties. Offices have experienced a backlog in getting benefits to people who are reapplying for food stamps, a process known as recertification.

"We have had some struggles in the recertification process," said Tandberg.

But he says the department is doing all it can to get people their benefits in a timely manner.

The average time for processing a new Food Assistance request is 30 days.

"We try real hard to remain within those deadlines if at all possible. Sometimes we can't, but we aren't significantly (behind)," he said.

Tandberg said the average Food Assistance benefit amount is roughly $100 per month for every eligible person in a household, including children.