The number of Texans receiving federal food assistance — commonly known as food stamps — has increased by nearly 1.4 million in the last four years. Nearly 15 percent of Texans now receive food stamps, and many more than that are eligible.
More than 3.7 million Texans — more than half of whom are children — receive food benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a federally funded program administered by the state Health and Human Services Commission.
While more Texans are getting food assistance, experts say food insecurity — the inability to access nutritious food — remains a serious problem. Texas had the second-highest percentage of households suffering from food insecurity in the nation in 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Only two-thirds of those who are eligible for the program are currently receiving benefits, according to data from the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service. In October, the agency gave Texas good marks for improvement but still ranked the state 39th nationally for how accessible the food assistance program is to low-income communities.
When the national recession hit Texas in 2008, a dramatic increase in food assistance applications caused months of backlog at HHSC. The percentage of SNAP applications the HHSC processed within 30 days — the mandatory deadline set by the federal government — dropped from 92 percent to 65 percent from 2006 to 2010, according to a state auditor’s report. And the payment error rate increased sharply.
State and federal officials say the commission has turned the program around, but 50 individuals and five nonprofit organizations are still suing the HHSC over the backlog. They argue the agency illegally denied benefits to eligible Texans by not processing the applications on time.
“Frankly, two years ago it was criminal what they were doing,” said Robert Doggett, the lead attorney at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, which is representing the plaintiffs alongside attorneys from the Legal Aid of Northwest Texas and Lone Star Legal Aid, nonprofits that offer free legal services for low-income Texans. “What they’ve done is they’ve smoothed over the rough edges and haven’t really addressed the underlying problem.”
Part of the problem, the lawsuit alleges, is the severe drop in the number of state employees processing the eligibility applications. The state pays for half of the administrative cost of the program, and during the budget crunch of 2003, lawmakers attempted to save money by partially privatizing the eligibility process. As a result, many tenured employees at the commission quit or were fired. The caseload of staff members processing food assistance program applications increased from 77 cases per worker in 1996 to 163 cases per worker in 2009.
The commission has made significant changes to improve the program, including hiring 800 new employees to process eligibility applications, said HHSC spokeswoman Stephanie Goodman. Even as monthly enrollment grows, the agency is now processing 97 percent of applications on time. And in June, the HHSC won a $6.2 million bonus from the federal government for having the most improved payment error rate in the nation, she said.
“Two years ago I would have told you Texas was one of the worst states that I ever worked with,” said Bill Ludwig, the federal administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service for the southwest region. “Today they’re one of the best states I’ve ever worked with.”
During the height of the turmoil at the HHSC, Ludwig sent multiple letters threatening to take action against the commission if the program did not improve. Now it has, he said, and federal audits show the conditions that existed in 2009 when the lawsuit was filed are no longer a problem.
Doggett, of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, said there’s no question HHSC has improved since 2009. But problems persist. The lawsuit also alleges that even though state law requires the HHSC to encourage eligible Texans to apply, the complicated application process and poor customer service continue to dissuade eligible Texans from applying. A state court denied the HHSC’s motion to throw out the lawsuit and the lawsuit is currently stalled in the appeals process.
Rep. Susan King, R-Abilene, filed a bill during the regular legislative session this year requiring the HHSC to identify inefficiencies and test ways to improve the application process. Although it was eventually passed, the requirements were watered down to eliminate the estimated $12 million price tag for the improvements required by the bill. King told lawmakers that simplifying the application process could save money for the commission, which must spend time explaining the application. “I tried to fill it out myself, and it was very difficult,” she said during a committee hearing.
The HHSC has simplified the application, and now allows Texans to apply online, Goodman said. But applicants still must provide a number of documents to verify their eligibility. “We’ve really worked hard I think to make that process as easy as possible, while still making sure for our taxpayers that yes, everyone on these rolls is really eligible,” she said.
The 27 percent growth in enrollment, which has outpaced population growth, is evidence that the program improvements and grassroots efforts to reach more eligible Texans in low-income communities are working, Goodman said.
In March 2010, the HHSC, USDA and Texas Food Bank Network set up a pilot program to reach low-income communities by allowing regional food banks to help people apply for for assistance. The HHSC gave four food banks permission to conduct the required official state interviews and created an online portal so the food banks could assist eligible families with their applications.
The San Antonio Food Bank, which participates in the pilot program, found in a survey that only 33 percent of families who accessed the food bank received SNAP benefits even though 90 to 95 percent of them were eligible. The food bank helped 26,036 families apply for food assistance in fiscal year 2011 through the pilot program.
“It really saves money across the board,” said Paco Velez, the vice president of program initiatives at the food bank. It reduces the strain on the local food bank and other nonprofits to provide emergency food, he said. “It also helps keep jobs here in San Antonio through grocery stores, convenience stores and supermarkets,” he said.
The $5.5 billion Texas received in food stamps in fiscal year 2010 produced an estimated $9.75 billion overall economic impact and created between 48,000 and 98,000 jobs in Texas, according to Texas Tribune calculations based on findings in a 2010 USDA report.
But Celia Cole, a policy analyst for the left-leaning Center for Public Policy Priorities, said the main reason the program's enrollment has grown is the lousy economy — not improvements at HHSC. She supports the creation of the online tools to help the process, but she said the state must have adequate staffing and management to maintain low error rates.
“Getting food banks to help doing interviews is not going to make those problems go away,” she said.
Use these interactive maps to explore the percentage of the population in your county that received food stamps in November and the estimated economic impact of the food benefit payments to the county.
*An updated version of these maps can be viewed here.
Click on the headings to sort the table.
County | Percent of Population Receiving SNAP Benefits | Change in Percent of Population Receiving Benefits Since 2005 | Number of Households | Children 0-17 | Adults 18-59 | Adults 60+ | Total SNAP Payments | Estimated Economic Impact |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anderson | 12% | 1% | 2,906 | 3,455 | 2,827 | 554 | $791,040 | $1,415,962 |
Andrews | 10% | -1% | 629 | 835 | 552 | 158 | $187,806 | $336,173 |
Angelina | 19% | 2% | 6,947 | 8,787 | 6,608 | 1,158 | $1,940,695 | $3,473,844 |
Aransas | 15% | 0% | 1,691 | 1,476 | 1,692 | 360 | $427,069 | $764,454 |
Archer | 7% | 6% | 284 | 299 | 307 | 60 | $68,540 | $122,687 |
Armstrong | 4% | 2% | 33 | 35 | 30 | 9 | $8,021 | $14,358 |
Atascosa | 21% | 4% | 3,670 | 4,861 | 3,757 | 944 | $1,072,577 | $1,919,913 |
Austin | 11% | 4% | 1,318 | 1,773 | 1,169 | 265 | $375,338 | $671,855 |
Bailey | 18% | 1% | 466 | 722 | 455 | 114 | $139,034 | $248,871 |
Bandera | 10% | 2% | 944 | 886 | 1,002 | 179 | $246,887 | $441,928 |
Bastrop | 15% | 7% | 4,455 | 5,951 | 4,094 | 798 | $1,283,038 | $2,296,638 |
Baylor | 16% | 2% | 287 | 235 | 288 | 71 | $62,322 | $111,556 |
Bee | 14% | 0% | 1,824 | 2,093 | 1,700 | 501 | $460,499 | $824,293 |
Bell | 14% | 4% | 17,124 | 23,079 | 18,081 | 2,200 | $5,177,719 | $9,268,117 |
Bexar | 17% | 4% | 117,675 | 153,001 | 115,510 | 22,584 | $34,739,872 | $62,184,371 |
Blanco | 8% | 7% | 328 | 414 | 325 | 64 | $94,682 | $169,481 |
Borden | 4% | 4% | 11 | 18 | 8 | 2 | $3,256 | $5,828 |
Bosque | 12% | 2% | 900 | 1,013 | 935 | 170 | $245,141 | $438,802 |
Bowie | 18% | 4% | 6,986 | 8,211 | 7,021 | 1,139 | $1,929,225 | $3,453,313 |
Brazoria | 10% | 2% | 12,307 | 16,911 | 11,660 | 2,006 | $3,794,043 | $6,791,337 |
Brazos | 10% | 2% | 8,231 | 11,529 | 7,618 | 1,056 | $2,417,341 | $4,327,040 |
Brewster | 11% | 1% | 471 | 424 | 431 | 129 | $109,040 | $195,182 |
Briscoe | 13% | 7% | 82 | 106 | 79 | 29 | $21,978 | $39,341 |
Brooks | 37% | 0% | 1,162 | 1,161 | 1,119 | 372 | $296,613 | $530,937 |
Brown | 15% | 1% | 2,570 | 2,475 | 2,550 | 632 | $630,853 | $1,129,227 |
Burleson | 14% | 3% | 1,022 | 1,178 | 941 | 228 | $261,213 | $467,571 |
Burnet | 11% | 5% | 1,919 | 2,470 | 1,974 | 398 | $533,549 | $955,053 |
Caldwell | 17% | 6% | 2,579 | 3,297 | 2,461 | 551 | $718,446 | $1,286,018 |
Calhoun | 15% | 2% | 1,262 | 1,673 | 1,200 | 272 | $355,977 | $637,199 |
Callahan | 12% | 1% | 652 | 725 | 692 | 146 | $170,186 | $304,633 |
Cameron | 30% | 2% | 46,129 | 69,201 | 41,186 | 12,278 | $14,100,391 | $25,239,700 |
Camp | 24% | 8% | 1,179 | 1,583 | 1,161 | 210 | $335,865 | $601,198 |
Carson | 5% | 2% | 122 | 141 | 122 | 34 | $31,239 | $55,918 |
Cass | 19% | 4% | 2,688 | 2,448 | 2,750 | 504 | $686,974 | $1,229,683 |
Castro | 18% | 0% | 514 | 854 | 495 | 105 | $157,464 | $281,861 |
Chambers | 8% | -3% | 1,230 | 1,555 | 1,107 | 229 | $343,209 | $614,344 |
Cherokee | 17% | 2% | 3,538 | 4,678 | 3,281 | 626 | $963,542 | $1,724,740 |
Childress | 16% | 1% | 469 | 534 | 459 | 113 | $124,841 | $223,465 |
Clay | 8% | 3% | 362 | 402 | 380 | 90 | $93,201 | $166,830 |
Cochran | 20% | 2% | 267 | 294 | 238 | 94 | $73,114 | $130,874 |
Coke | 9% | 3% | 120 | 139 | 108 | 34 | $28,990 | $51,892 |
Coleman | 17% | -2% | 681 | 665 | 627 | 209 | $160,432 | $287,173 |
Collin | 5% | 2% | 16,589 | 22,588 | 14,208 | 3,604 | $4,991,451 | $8,934,697 |
Collingsworth | 19% | 8% | 220 | 284 | 246 | 48 | $68,587 | $122,771 |
Colorado | 13% | 3% | 1,177 | 1,458 | 1,039 | 249 | $308,159 | $551,605 |
Comal | 8% | 2% | 3,652 | 4,699 | 3,685 | 686 | $1,064,937 | $1,906,237 |
Comanche | 13% | 0% | 789 | 855 | 741 | 260 | $191,071 | $342,017 |
Concho | 8% | 2% | 128 | 167 | 135 | 29 | $34,320 | $61,433 |
Cooke | 11% | 3% | 1,755 | 2,390 | 1,574 | 315 | $506,535 | $906,698 |
Coryell | 10% | 3% | 2,837 | 3,729 | 3,139 | 389 | $795,010 | $1,423,068 |
Cottle | 16% | 0% | 102 | 117 | 85 | 37 | $26,173 | $46,850 |
Crane | 9% | 5% | 164 | 208 | 150 | 48 | $48,023 | $85,961 |
Crockett | 11% | -1% | 166 | 227 | 150 | 45 | $43,102 | $77,153 |
Crosby | 27% | 4% | 623 | 779 | 687 | 162 | $169,958 | $304,225 |
Culberson | 24% | 2% | 263 | 245 | 227 | 101 | $63,162 | $113,060 |
Dallam | 14% | 3% | 377 | 533 | 353 | 67 | $103,106 | $184,560 |
Dallas | 16% | 6% | 164,551 | 222,910 | 134,945 | 25,220 | $49,345,738 | $88,328,871 |
Dawson | 17% | 2% | 928 | 1,225 | 814 | 285 | $252,842 | $452,587 |
Deaf Smith | 19% | 2% | 1,352 | 2,200 | 1,267 | 283 | $413,602 | $740,348 |
Delta | 15% | 4% | 358 | 335 | 365 | 100 | $87,642 | $156,879 |
Denton | 6% | 2% | 14,990 | 20,512 | 13,246 | 2,468 | $4,418,005 | $7,908,229 |
DeWitt | 16% | 3% | 1,425 | 1,537 | 1,277 | 376 | $354,920 | $635,307 |
Dickens | 14% | 4% | 149 | 131 | 138 | 61 | $32,064 | $57,395 |
Dimmit | 29% | -1% | 1,250 | 1,436 | 1,010 | 480 | $319,939 | $572,691 |
Donley | 12% | 1% | 176 | 216 | 188 | 53 | $48,633 | $87,053 |
Duval | 24% | -2% | 1,258 | 1,234 | 1,149 | 413 | $298,515 | $534,342 |
Eastland | 15% | 0% | 1,256 | 1,279 | 1,178 | 380 | $302,333 | $541,176 |
Ector | 16% | -2% | 8,606 | 11,690 | 7,752 | 1,914 | $2,633,032 | $4,713,127 |
Edwards | 19% | 5% | 154 | 164 | 133 | 73 | $38,700 | $69,273 |
El Paso | 23% | 8% | 74,301 | 94,918 | 69,334 | 21,254 | $21,730,628 | $38,897,824 |
Ellis | 2% | 1% | 7,073 | 9,929 | 7,080 | 1,054 | $2,215,349 | $3,965,475 |
Erath | 11% | 3% | 1,636 | 2,103 | 1,625 | 277 | $466,702 | $835,397 |
Falls | 17% | 4% | 1,438 | 1,420 | 1,329 | 349 | $338,198 | $605,374 |
Fannin | 13% | 3% | 1,879 | 2,002 | 1,849 | 414 | $475,969 | $851,985 |
Fayette | 9% | 0% | 918 | 1,100 | 775 | 248 | $223,203 | $399,533 |
Fisher | 12% | 6% | 207 | 207 | 222 | 55 | $55,331 | $99,042 |
Floyd | 22% | 4% | 497 | 751 | 565 | 123 | $156,215 | $279,625 |
Foard | 12% | 0% | 75 | 62 | 75 | 27 | $13,499 | $24,163 |
Fort Bend | 8% | 2% | 17,936 | 24,805 | 15,770 | 4,255 | $5,494,425 | $9,835,021 |
Franklin | 12% | 4% | 486 | 637 | 474 | 105 | $129,714 | $232,188 |
Freestone | 11% | 1% | 921 | 1,082 | 827 | 204 | $246,096 | $440,512 |
Frio | 23% | 1% | 1,525 | 1,984 | 1,426 | 493 | $423,309 | $757,723 |
Gaines | 9% | -2% | 631 | 753 | 526 | 230 | $161,992 | $289,966 |
Galveston | 12% | -2% | 15,370 | 17,761 | 13,986 | 2,577 | $4,329,428 | $7,749,676 |
Garza | 11% | -2% | 319 | 326 | 309 | 81 | $69,881 | $125,087 |
Gillespie | 8% | 3% | 792 | 1,004 | 782 | 157 | $213,128 | $381,499 |
Glasscock | 5% | 4% | 17 | 42 | 23 | 1 | $6,520 | $11,671 |
Goliad | 13% | 1% | 393 | 452 | 373 | 109 | $103,025 | $184,415 |
Gonzales | 18% | 2% | 1,488 | 1,971 | 1,308 | 339 | $407,909 | $730,157 |
Gray | 12% | 3% | 1,057 | 1,419 | 1,033 | 218 | $292,606 | $523,765 |
Grayson | 13% | 3% | 6,776 | 7,917 | 6,754 | 1,153 | $1,845,920 | $3,304,197 |
Gregg | 16% | 2% | 8,592 | 10,367 | 8,077 | 1,297 | $2,353,386 | $4,212,561 |
Grimes | 14% | 4% | 1,604 | 1,863 | 1,424 | 375 | $425,411 | $761,486 |
Guadalupe | 11% | 2% | 5,666 | 7,605 | 5,688 | 1,107 | $1,655,155 | $2,962,727 |
Hale | 19% | 3% | 2,561 | 3,785 | 2,623 | 552 | $758,106 | $1,357,010 |
Hall | 20% | 2% | 259 | 320 | 270 | 73 | $72,277 | $129,376 |
Hamilton | 13% | 3% | 475 | 465 | 501 | 117 | $117,358 | $210,071 |
Hansford | 7% | 0% | 153 | 234 | 106 | 47 | $41,163 | $73,682 |
Hardeman | 15% | 3% | 251 | 292 | 245 | 79 | $65,763 | $117,716 |
Hardin | 13% | -1% | 3,028 | 3,127 | 3,321 | 512 | $811,468 | $1,452,528 |
Harris | 14% | 3% | 244,083 | 346,049 | 198,951 | 43,295 | $75,224,003 | $134,650,965 |
Harrison | 16% | 2% | 4,592 | 5,195 | 4,459 | 754 | $1,218,927 | $2,181,879 |
Hartley | 4% | 2% | 87 | 135 | 78 | 23 | $22,428 | $40,146 |
Haskell | 15% | -1% | 420 | 377 | 353 | 161 | $90,784 | $162,503 |
Hays | 10% | 10% | 6,014 | 8,485 | 6,160 | 867 | $1,839,641 | $3,292,957 |
Hemphill | 6% | 4% | 86 | 147 | 70 | 11 | $24,860 | $44,499 |
Henderson | 17% | 6% | 5,765 | 6,343 | 5,956 | 1,156 | $1,591,088 | $2,848,048 |
Hidalgo | 32% | 3% | 92,336 | 143,502 | 76,203 | 24,338 | $29,448,058 | $52,712,024 |
Hill | 16% | 5% | 2,445 | 2,882 | 2,373 | 497 | $652,644 | $1,168,233 |
Hockley | 14% | 0% | 1,289 | 1,713 | 1,270 | 302 | $363,147 | $650,033 |
Hood | 10% | 1% | 2,226 | 2,643 | 2,284 | 384 | $643,125 | $1,151,194 |
Hopkins | 12% | 2% | 1,819 | 2,199 | 1,777 | 396 | $470,677 | $842,512 |
Houston | 17% | 0% | 1,874 | 1,803 | 1,672 | 458 | $434,949 | $778,559 |
Howard | 12% | 0% | 1,671 | 2,304 | 1,661 | 311 | $490,819 | $878,566 |
Hudspeth | 26% | 8% | 353 | 444 | 317 | 143 | $96,935 | $173,514 |
Hunt | 16% | 5% | 5,980 | 6,553 | 6,034 | 1,076 | $1,622,526 | $2,904,322 |
Hutchinson | 12% | 2% | 1,029 | 1,351 | 1,048 | 165 | $299,720 | $536,499 |
Irion | 9% | 6% | 55 | 75 | 52 | 15 | $15,291 | $27,371 |
Jack | 8% | 6% | 321 | 371 | 290 | 90 | $85,322 | $152,726 |
Jackson | 14% | 4% | 820 | 1,056 | 769 | 171 | $229,349 | $410,535 |
Jasper | 20% | 1% | 3,245 | 3,340 | 3,186 | 680 | $835,743 | $1,495,980 |
Jeff Davis | 7% | 5% | 75 | 74 | 60 | 32 | $16,484 | $29,506 |
Jefferson | 17% | 0% | 19,738 | 21,622 | 18,333 | 3,282 | $5,327,069 | $9,535,454 |
Jim Hogg | 27% | 5% | 578 | 713 | 532 | 189 | $154,564 | $276,670 |
Jim Wells | 22% | 1% | 3,579 | 4,509 | 3,256 | 1,007 | $978,723 | $1,751,914 |
Johnson | 12% | 3% | 7,210 | 9,777 | 7,427 | 1,136 | $2,223,908 | $3,980,795 |
Jones | 12% | 2% | 977 | 1,184 | 989 | 257 | $256,815 | $459,699 |
Karnes | 16% | 0% | 1,029 | 1,053 | 966 | 301 | $257,276 | $460,524 |
Kaufman | 12% | 3% | 5,097 | 6,547 | 4,971 | 875 | $1,486,432 | $2,660,713 |
Kendall | 6% | 2% | 902 | 1,075 | 828 | 185 | $238,156 | $426,299 |
Kenedy | 24% | 21% | 31 | 53 | 43 | 4 | $9,802 | $17,546 |
Kent | 10% | 5% | 30 | 38 | 32 | 7 | $7,649 | $13,692 |
Kerr | 11% | 1% | 2,379 | 2,609 | 2,386 | 452 | $619,525 | $1,108,950 |
Kimble | 12% | 2% | 250 | 255 | 229 | 82 | $63,491 | $113,649 |
King | 1% | 1% | 1 | 2 | 2 | - | $282 | $505 |
Kinney | 16% | 4% | 241 | 239 | 218 | 118 | $55,477 | $99,304 |
Kleberg | 18% | -2% | 2,478 | 2,883 | 2,467 | 539 | $672,126 | $1,203,106 |
Knox | 18% | 3% | 287 | 302 | 295 | 76 | $68,279 | $122,219 |
La Salle | 21% | 0% | 597 | 682 | 496 | 250 | $151,267 | $270,768 |
Lamar | 18% | 2% | 4,044 | 4,107 | 3,854 | 841 | $1,013,479 | $1,814,127 |
Lamb | 19% | 1% | 1,054 | 1,432 | 980 | 289 | $291,223 | $521,289 |
Lampasas | 14% | 5% | 1,114 | 1,349 | 1,261 | 184 | $313,683 | $561,493 |
Lavaca | 10% | 2% | 794 | 938 | 682 | 219 | $191,858 | $343,426 |
Lee | 10% | 5% | 711 | 882 | 626 | 151 | $177,522 | $317,764 |
Leon | 13% | 4% | 1,009 | 1,082 | 896 | 248 | $259,580 | $464,648 |
Liberty | 16% | 0% | 5,055 | 5,998 | 4,863 | 967 | $1,450,844 | $2,597,011 |
Limestone | 16% | 4% | 1,590 | 1,899 | 1,502 | 322 | $411,566 | $736,703 |
Lipscomb | 6% | -2% | 74 | 131 | 60 | 14 | $21,587 | $38,641 |
Live Oak | 11% | 1% | 501 | 589 | 496 | 149 | $135,374 | $242,319 |
Llano | 10% | 4% | 866 | 827 | 851 | 238 | $205,709 | $368,219 |
Loving | 0% | 0% | - | - | - | - | $0 | $0 |
Lubbock | 15% | 3% | 16,519 | 22,073 | 17,187 | 2,758 | $4,963,709 | $8,885,039 |
Lynn | 18% | 4% | 412 | 531 | 429 | 117 | $113,994 | $204,049 |
Madison | 14% | 0% | 839 | 1,028 | 731 | 184 | $225,306 | $403,298 |
Marion | 18% | -6% | 891 | 781 | 832 | 254 | $219,594 | $393,073 |
Martin | 7% | -9% | 123 | 187 | 122 | 24 | $40,031 | $71,655 |
Mason | 9% | 2% | 155 | 162 | 110 | 69 | $38,909 | $69,647 |
Matagorda | 20% | 3% | 2,990 | 3,791 | 2,791 | 567 | $882,970 | $1,580,516 |
Maverick | 31% | 2% | 6,593 | 8,136 | 5,904 | 2,901 | $1,721,862 | $3,082,133 |
McCulloch | 17% | -1% | 615 | 661 | 549 | 203 | $150,783 | $269,902 |
McLennan | 17% | 5% | 16,653 | 20,667 | 16,352 | 2,497 | $4,616,711 | $8,263,913 |
McMullen | 5% | -3% | 17 | 14 | 17 | 6 | $3,560 | $6,372 |
Medina | 14% | 3% | 2,626 | 3,250 | 2,773 | 606 | $738,761 | $1,322,382 |
Menard | 13% | 3% | 131 | 125 | 115 | 55 | $31,847 | $57,006 |
Midland | 10% | -1% | 5,357 | 7,796 | 4,971 | 1,035 | $1,633,358 | $2,923,711 |
Milam | 19% | 6% | 2,096 | 2,234 | 2,074 | 442 | $552,913 | $989,714 |
Mills | 9% | 4% | 190 | 195 | 214 | 50 | $49,230 | $88,122 |
Mitchell | 12% | 2% | 457 | 588 | 444 | 122 | $125,617 | $224,854 |
Montague | 11% | 4% | 974 | 1,039 | 943 | 224 | $252,456 | $451,896 |
Montgomery | 9% | 2% | 17,360 | 24,048 | 15,966 | 2,683 | $5,294,528 | $9,477,205 |
Moore | 13% | 5% | 945 | 1,821 | 985 | 133 | $306,992 | $549,516 |
Morris | 21% | 8% | 1,203 | 1,200 | 1,216 | 247 | $306,790 | $549,154 |
Motley | 11% | 8% | 65 | 57 | 38 | 43 | $13,527 | $24,213 |
Nacogdoches | 17% | 1% | 4,741 | 5,776 | 4,190 | 708 | $1,248,688 | $2,235,152 |
Navarro | 19% | 7% | 3,992 | 4,889 | 3,658 | 708 | $1,105,484 | $1,978,816 |
Newton | 16% | -5% | 1,148 | 949 | 1,156 | 264 | $282,912 | $506,412 |
Nolan | 18% | 1% | 1,082 | 1,380 | 1,051 | 265 | $298,263 | $533,891 |
Nueces | 18% | 2% | 26,105 | 31,445 | 25,514 | 4,947 | $7,440,352 | $13,318,230 |
Ochiltree | 8% | 0% | 323 | 487 | 266 | 55 | $90,992 | $162,876 |
Oldham | 9% | 5% | 64 | 91 | 73 | 21 | $19,086 | $34,164 |
Orange | 16% | 0% | 5,961 | 6,144 | 6,311 | 887 | $1,604,941 | $2,872,844 |
Palo Pinto | 14% | 3% | 1,653 | 1,871 | 1,661 | 318 | $438,420 | $784,772 |
Panola | 13% | 0% | 1,402 | 1,469 | 1,272 | 329 | $363,642 | $650,919 |
Parker | 9% | 4% | 4,327 | 5,494 | 4,527 | 778 | $1,296,481 | $2,320,701 |
Parmer | 10% | 4% | 361 | 584 | 329 | 83 | $104,700 | $187,413 |
Pecos | 14% | 1% | 854 | 1,115 | 737 | 291 | $235,057 | $420,752 |
Polk | 17% | 1% | 3,594 | 3,611 | 3,527 | 756 | $914,601 | $1,637,136 |
Potter | 21% | 2% | 9,769 | 13,430 | 9,848 | 1,688 | $2,940,547 | $5,263,579 |
Presidio | 27% | -4% | 1,014 | 916 | 567 | 659 | $226,936 | $406,215 |
Rains | 12% | 2% | 552 | 587 | 576 | 132 | $145,541 | $260,518 |
Randall | 8% | 6% | 3,653 | 4,789 | 4,001 | 536 | $1,069,705 | $1,914,772 |
Reagan | 8% | 1% | 106 | 145 | 86 | 30 | $29,901 | $53,523 |
Real | 17% | -4% | 257 | 246 | 233 | 91 | $64,181 | $114,884 |
Red River | 17% | 3% | 1,064 | 921 | 990 | 295 | $245,447 | $439,350 |
Reeves | 17% | -2% | 1,029 | 1,127 | 877 | 392 | $258,414 | $462,561 |
Refugio | 16% | 7% | 495 | 533 | 468 | 143 | $128,629 | $230,246 |
Roberts | 4% | 1% | 14 | 20 | 17 | 2 | $4,997 | $8,945 |
Robertson | 20% | 3% | 1,465 | 1,593 | 1,329 | 325 | $387,566 | $693,743 |
Rockwall | 6% | 1% | 1,945 | 2,759 | 1,903 | 312 | $604,267 | $1,081,638 |
Runnels | 15% | -1% | 630 | 712 | 629 | 191 | $155,250 | $277,898 |
Rusk | 11% | 1% | 2,561 | 3,043 | 2,440 | 521 | $685,143 | $1,226,406 |
Sabine | 14% | -7% | 708 | 594 | 747 | 143 | $171,740 | $307,415 |
San Augustine | 23% | 6% | 957 | 878 | 920 | 228 | $237,182 | $424,556 |
San Jacinto | 21% | 6% | 2,511 | 2,610 | 2,520 | 481 | $698,485 | $1,250,288 |
San Patricio | 18% | -1% | 4,781 | 5,960 | 4,739 | 1,181 | $1,334,604 | $2,388,941 |
San Saba | 13% | 0% | 339 | 388 | 342 | 91 | $88,784 | $158,923 |
Schleicher | 9% | 4% | 125 | 145 | 101 | 52 | $30,470 | $54,541 |
Scurry | 12% | 1% | 835 | 1,029 | 800 | 200 | $236,667 | $423,634 |
Shackelford | 9% | 6% | 139 | 135 | 123 | 51 | $34,662 | $62,045 |
Shelby | 19% | 1% | 2,135 | 2,477 | 1,861 | 429 | $553,365 | $990,523 |
Sherman | 4% | 0% | 38 | 67 | 29 | 9 | $11,361 | $20,336 |
Smith | 13% | 1% | 11,568 | 15,223 | 10,794 | 1,908 | $3,210,351 | $5,746,528 |
Somervell | 10% | 4% | 346 | 466 | 336 | 59 | $100,961 | $180,720 |
Starr | 38% | 3% | 9,443 | 11,923 | 7,462 | 3,703 | $2,582,059 | $4,621,886 |
Stephens | 15% | 0% | 635 | 705 | 626 | 144 | $162,521 | $290,913 |
Sterling | 8% | 4% | 35 | 55 | 29 | 10 | $9,172 | $16,418 |
Stonewall | 8% | 1% | 60 | 51 | 51 | 22 | $14,730 | $26,367 |
Sutton | 10% | -2% | 167 | 216 | 153 | 55 | $43,282 | $77,475 |
Swisher | 17% | 2% | 496 | 645 | 521 | 127 | $135,794 | $243,071 |
Tarrant | 12% | 4% | 88,652 | 124,512 | 81,880 | 13,818 | $27,602,916 | $49,409,220 |
Taylor | 14% | 2% | 7,384 | 9,467 | 7,336 | 1,314 | $2,018,320 | $3,612,793 |
Terrell | 7% | 2% | 37 | 23 | 26 | 21 | $7,368 | $13,189 |
Terry | 17% | -1% | 842 | 1,094 | 773 | 255 | $229,507 | $410,818 |
Throckmorton | 10% | 3% | 59 | 78 | 55 | 23 | $15,574 | $27,877 |
Titus | 17% | 6% | 2,169 | 3,353 | 1,776 | 281 | $619,562 | $1,109,016 |
Tom Green | 13% | 0% | 6,067 | 7,243 | 6,032 | 1,247 | $1,613,998 | $2,889,056 |
Travis | 12% | 3% | 54,748 | 71,901 | 43,908 | 7,054 | $16,233,085 | $29,057,222 |
Trinity | 19% | 6% | 1,421 | 1,125 | 1,358 | 298 | $332,313 | $594,840 |
Tyler | 15% | 1% | 1,480 | 1,374 | 1,474 | 344 | $370,562 | $663,306 |
Upshur | 16% | 4% | 2,653 | 3,035 | 2,686 | 506 | $729,000 | $1,304,910 |
Upton | 12% | 4% | 164 | 209 | 151 | 45 | $43,909 | $78,597 |
Uvalde | 25% | -1% | 2,496 | 3,327 | 2,579 | 714 | $707,698 | $1,266,779 |
Val Verde | 22% | 2% | 4,347 | 5,515 | 3,716 | 1,681 | $1,177,809 | $2,108,278 |
Van Zandt | 13% | 5% | 2,999 | 3,280 | 3,105 | 671 | $810,576 | $1,450,931 |
Victoria | 16% | 3% | 5,395 | 7,326 | 5,326 | 931 | $1,580,270 | $2,828,683 |
Walker | 10% | 1% | 3,103 | 3,267 | 2,891 | 538 | $829,951 | $1,485,612 |
Waller | 12% | -11% | 2,119 | 3,017 | 1,917 | 315 | $641,352 | $1,148,020 |
Ward | 12% | -4% | 547 | 593 | 479 | 160 | $130,591 | $233,758 |
Washington | 11% | 1% | 1,614 | 1,935 | 1,352 | 345 | $402,364 | $720,232 |
Webb | 31% | 6% | 28,043 | 45,912 | 24,597 | 7,115 | $9,193,752 | $16,456,816 |
Wharton | 16% | 5% | 2,678 | 3,712 | 2,428 | 519 | $791,652 | $1,417,057 |
Wheeler | 8% | 4% | 178 | 252 | 164 | 35 | $50,173 | $89,810 |
Wichita | 14% | 3% | 8,034 | 8,976 | 8,097 | 1,281 | $2,114,253 | $3,784,513 |
Wilbarger | 17% | 3% | 945 | 1,156 | 917 | 210 | $236,460 | $423,263 |
Willacy | 32% | 3% | 2,902 | 3,619 | 2,569 | 952 | $807,358 | $1,445,171 |
Williamson | 8% | 4% | 13,490 | 19,250 | 13,393 | 2,041 | $4,142,237 | $7,414,604 |
Wilson | 11% | 4% | 1,880 | 2,411 | 1,984 | 408 | $546,863 | $978,885 |
Winkler | 13% | 1% | 414 | 434 | 354 | 139 | $99,639 | $178,354 |
Wise | 9% | 3% | 2,219 | 2,878 | 2,243 | 391 | $656,360 | $1,174,884 |
Wood | 12% | 4% | 2,223 | 2,396 | 2,253 | 520 | $554,143 | $991,916 |
Yoakum | 10% | 2% | 305 | 461 | 267 | 84 | $92,858 | $166,216 |
Young | 13% | -2% | 1,097 | 1,152 | 1,050 | 260 | $265,349 | $474,975 |
Zapata | 29% | 5% | 1,603 | 2,361 | 1,265 | 475 | $498,106 | $891,610 |
Zavala | 37% | 8% | 1,757 | 2,082 | 1,695 | 546 | $485,716 | $869,432 |
The Texas Tribune is pleased to provide the opportunity for you to share your observations about this story. We encourage lively debate on the issues of the day, but we ask that you refrain from using profanity or other offensive speech, engaging in personal attacks or name-calling, posting advertising, or wandering away from the topic at hand. To comment, you must be a registered user of the Tribune, and your real name will be displayed. Thanks for taking time to offer your thoughts.
Comments (15)
Rudy Gonzales
Texas' vouchered Food Stamp Program is a perfect example of how the state and other states control the disadvantaged and poor in their state. 3.7 million Texans , more than half are children, has increased by 15% over the past four years under Rick Perry and the Conservative Legislature. Texas has been sued because their agency illegally denied benefits to eligible Texans by not processing the applications in a timely manner. With the controls under the control of the the state, some monies have been diverted to other programs and the administrators reaped great benefits and pay. The state pays for half of the administrative cost of the program, and during the budget crunch of 2003, lawmakers attempted to save money by partially privatizing the eligibility process. As a result, many tenured employees at the commission quit or were fired. As I've said before: The concentration of wealth in the hands of fewer and fewer people and the concentration of power in stricter, less compassionate hands in all aspects of local, state and the federal government has colored the TEA/GOP/Republicans as the tormentors of the American dream.
Another 99%
Seems the GOP is content, to create a permanent class of citizens, that will never have jobs. The No-Jobs Party guarantees, we will be paying higher taxes to support their disgusting weird politics. Why do voters put up with these morons? Is it the hair, or the boots they wear.
gypsy314 ne
I wonder how many family's are illegal aliens? We can not afford to keep footing the bill for illegal aliens and it needs to stop NOW. I say that drug testing should be done too.
gypsy314 ne
I just wish the do nothing democrat senate would pick up some of the bills that congress passed to the do nothing senate and pass the bills the congress ahs sent the democrat senate. The ball is in the democratic senate and is the blame that people can not get a job.
Eva DeLuna Castro
The chart appears to be mislabeled. Text says $5.5 billion in Food Stamps in fiscal 2010, but the chart shows less than $500 million for that year.
Becca Aaronson
To gypsy314 ne: You have to prove legal status before receiving food assistance from the federal government. For more information, see here: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cga/Publications/ConsumerBrochure.pdf
Becca Aaronson
To Eva, you're right and the chart has been corrected. It shows the payments each year for the month of November and the estimated economic impact. Thanks for pointing that out so we could correct it for all our readers!
Eva DeLuna Castro
Ah! Monthly benefit amounts -- I figured it was either that, or for a specific county or metro area of Texas. Makes sense now.
David Spratt
It really saves money across the board, said Paco Velez, the vice president of program initiatives at the food bank. It reduces the strain on the local food bank and other nonprofits to provide emergency food, he said. It also helps keep jobs here in San Antonio through grocery stores, convenience stores and supermarkets, he said.
The $5.5 billion Texas received in food stamps in fiscal year 2010 produced an estimated $9.75 billion overall economic impact and created between 48,000 and 98,000 jobs in Texas, according to Texas Tribune calculations based on findings in a 2010 USDA report.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Nice graphs , not sure they actually mean a lot. How can giving away 5 .5 billion $ in food actually Make back twice as much? How can seeking out more people to sign up and give money away to actually ' save money?' Only in a bureaucrats mind. I never have gotten twice the return on anything I ever gave away. Would be nice if they provided some facts or figures on how this happens , I am sure there are plenty of people out there that would like to know how this happens.
About those 'kids' that are receiving food stamps. it did not say but i can read between the lines , and what I read is children of Illegals. So now tell me their Illegal parents are not eating any of that food , and Illegals are not eligible for food stamps. if they were not anchor babies their entire family adults and all would be eligible and they would not be counted as ' children.'
Four more years of this administration and we could have 50% of the population on food stamps and if we can bump up the amount to 15 or 20 billion think of how many jobs and increased economic impact that would create?
David Spratt
gypsy ,, You are correct . All they need is at minimum 1 anchor baby and preferably several of them, to legally get assistance. As far as Snap goes you have to have a green card . Gotten at most larger flea markets along with a social security card. Breakfast and lunch programs require no proof , and now there is a push for dinner programs also , look at Memphis TN. Wic does not say that it requires proof of legal status , only being a resident of the state being applied in. Make no mistake about it Illegals ARE using these programs. Go to the link below for proof.Illegals driving Escalades and Hummers to carry home their free goods.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmVHUKMKHA8&NR=1
Mac Mcclure via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I click on the link and there is no interactive map? Good to know more people are using food stamps. Seems like every time I am behind someone using food stamps at the grocery store they pay for their food with food stamps and their beer and cigarettes with cash! Glad the system works.
Janet Thomas
I would like to see the breakdown in these articles of who is receiving food stamps. It well documented that college students receive food stamps. And for those of you who think illegals don't receive food stamps, don't deceive yourself, they do. The numbert of food stamp receipients on the border is greater than those receiving food stamps further inland. There is no real effort to verify their status or to find out if the documents they are using are fraudulent.
Gary Subscriber
I see there are conservatives who believe the myths about Food Stamps in the comments.
http://www.alternet.org/story/153159/4_absurd,_damaging_right-wing_lies_about_food_stamps?page=entire
Rudy Gonzales
Governor Rick Perry and the entire TEA-Republican Legislature are grossly irresponsible and responsible for these actions. The number of Texans receiving federal food assistance has increased by nearly 1.4 million in the last four years. Nearly 15 percent of Texans now receive food stamps, and many more than that are eligible. More than 3.7 million Texans more than half of whom are children receive food benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Texas had the second-highest percentage of households suffering from food insecurity in the nation in 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. When the national recession hit Texas in 2008, a dramatic increase in food assistance applications caused months of backlog at HHSC. The percentage of SNAP applications the HHSC processed within 30 days the mandatory deadline set by the federal government dropped from 92 percent to 65 percent from 2006 to 2010, according to a state auditors report. And the payment error rate increased sharply.
The state pays for half of the administrative cost of the program, and during the budget crunch of 2003, lawmakers attempted to save money by partially privatizing the eligibility process. As a result, many tenured employees at the commission quit or were fired. The caseload of staff members processing food assistance program applications increased from 77 cases per worker in 1996 to 163 cases per worker in 2009.
Children of undocumented workers, who are citizens of the United States, are eligible for this assistance, but the TEA-Republican's in Austin do not care. These are federal funds sent to Texas in grants to be distributed to those most in need, but the TEA-Republican's in Austin do not care. The money saved by cutting half the staff means people lost jobs in Texas. Governor Rick Perry and the entire TEA-Republican Legislature are grossly irresponsible and responsible for these actions.
It's high time Texans turned out all the career politicians in Austin and sent in new blood to make corrections to the budgets which have decimated the schools and added to the loss of jobs in Texas. See my first posting on this blog.
larry Brenner
Becca Aaronson
You are so wrong in saying illegals are not in food programs offered by the Gov. Go to any Aldi after the first of the month. I had a lady in front of me about 35-40yrs old and did not know how to swipe a credit card through the machine. She had to be shown! What women in the USA would not know how to swipe a credit card??? Are women not shown in kindergarden how to swipe? No English! With food card in hand. I wanted to yell at the top of my lungs! Come to Waukegan IL. and you will see Illegals. I have been here my whole life and this is no longer an American City. Sold out for cheap slave labor. I live across from a house with 6 illegal families under one small 800 sqfoot roof. The realty companies rent them out while Americans get evicted and 4-6 families move into that house that used to be owned by Americans. But the realtors can ask what ever they want for rent. Illegals take the job that that American family once had and move into the house that the American once had. Now the American is ashamed to even call himself an AMERICAN.