Food Stamps Becomes Safety Net of Last Resort for Many

Almost one in five food stamp recipients reported having no other income at a time when help from federal cash assistance programs has become harder to get, making food stamps "the safety net of last resort" for many during the current recession, according to a New York Times study of 31 states.

The Times said the data from those states, which account for about 60 percent of the national caseload, suggests there are six million people in households with no income, including 1.2 million children.

"The numbers have nearly tripled in Nevada over the past two years, doubled in Florida and New York, and grown nearly 90 percent in Minnesota and Utah. In Wayne County, Mich., which includes Detroit, one of every 25 residents reports an income of only food stamps," according to the report.

Some point to these findings as evidence that the safety net is torn because of the lack of cash support. James Weill, president of the Food Research and Action Center, a Washington advocacy group, told the Times, "The food-stamp program is being asked to do too much...People need income support."