Food Stamp Program: Data on Assistance for the Elderly (Correspondence,
06/28/2000, GAO/RCED-00-223R).

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the
Food Stamp Program and its state activities to increase older Americans'
participation and the number of elderly food stamp participants in each
state.

GAO noted: (1) states' activities to encourage elderly participation in
the Food Stamp Program; (2) states' actions, during the last 3 years, to
implement suggestions by the Food and Nutrition Service to increase
elderly persons' access to the program; (3) by state, the number and
percentage of older Americans' households receiving food stamps in
fiscal year 1998, the most recent year for which complete data are
available; and (4) the average benefits received by elderly households.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  RCED-00-223R
     TITLE:  Food Stamp Program: Data on Assistance for the Elderly
      DATE:  06/28/2000
   SUBJECT:  Food programs for the elderly
	     Elderly persons
	     State-administered programs
	     Statistical data
	     Surveys
IDENTIFIER:  Food Stamp Program

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GAO/RCED-00-223R

B-285702

June 28, 2000

MACROBUTTON The Honorable Charles E. Grassley, Chairman

Special Committee on Aging

United States Senate

The Honorable John B. Breaux, Ranking Member

Special Committee on Aging

United States Senate

Subject: Food Stamp Program: Data on Assistance for the Elderly

In your letter of May 22, 2000, you asked us to prepare background
information on the Food Stamp Program, which is administered by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service. Specifically, you
requested information on (1) state activities to increase older Americans'
participation and (2) the number of elderly food stamp participants in each
state. Enclosures I and II provide this information.

Enclosure I contains information on states' activities to encourage elderly
participation in the Food Stamp Program. Table 1 provides the information we
collected in our April 2000 telephone survey of state food stamp directors
on whether the states have tried, during the last 3 years, activities
suggested in the Food and Nutrition Service's The Nutriton Safety Net-Help
for the Elderly and Disabled: A Primer for Enhancing the Nutrition Safety
Net for the Elderly and Disabled (referred to as the access guide). Table 2
describes innovative state outreach activities mentioned in response to our
telephone survey, as well as a source to contact for information in those
states.

In enclosure II, table 3 presents information, by state, on the number and
percentage of older Americans' households receiving food stamps in fiscal
year 1998-the most recent year for which complete data are available. It
also presents, by state, the average benefits received by elderly
households.

  
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