Use of food stamps rises in Lincoln County

www.dailyyonder.com

The use of food stamps in Lincoln County increased during the recession, assisting families in stretching their food dollars, contributing to local spending and helping spark a national debate about the future of the federal nutrition program.

The proportion of Lincoln County residents receiving food stamps hit 10.9 percent in 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services. That’s an increase of 4.5 percentage points since 2007, the year the recession started.

Lincoln County’s food-stamp usage rate is lower than the state rate. Acro...