More than 1.5 Million of 1.8 Million New Participants
Were in States Hardest Hit by Hurricanes Since August 2005

In October 2005 food stamp participation rose to 27,575,192 people, 39,983 more than in September and 1,809,387 more than in August, largely due to the nutrition relief needed by victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Six states with large numbers of those affected by the hurricanes – Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and Arkansas – accounted for nearly 1.57 million of the increase since August, with more than 240,000 of the growth coming in other states.

This was the seventh monthly caseload increase in the first ten months of 2005, and the non-Katrina/Rita states’ data suggest growth occurred at a pace comparable to the earlier part of 2005 in the non-hurricane states.

Food Stamp Program growth over the year also reflects continuing wage stagnation, state actions to improve access, and the effects of the food stamp reauthorization implementation.

For the year (October 2004 to October 2005) the caseload grew by 1.34 million people. Not counting Florida (whose October 2004 caseload was high because of the Disaster Food Stamp Program response to the 2004 hurricanes), the caseload in the other 49 states and District of Columbia grew by more than 2.5 million persons over the year.