Regional News
Email
Print
Food help up across region
Of 14 Northwest N.C. counties, all reported double-digit increases
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: May 21, 2009
The need for food assistance in the region keeps rising with the unemployment rate, according to a study released yesterday by the N.C. Budget & Tax Center.
All 14 counties in the Triad and Northwest North Carolina experienced at least a double-digit increase in individuals receiving food and nutrition assistance from December 2007 through April 2009, with increases ranging from 10.5 percent to 38.8 percent.
As for the percentage of population requiring the assistance, just two counties had a figure of less than 10 percent -- Watauga County at 6 percent and Stokes County at 9.8 percent.
In Forsyth County, individuals needing assistance represented 11.8 percent of the county's population, or 40,670. That is a 19.1 percent increase in demand over the 17-month period.
By comparison, the Forsyth jobless rate has climbed from 4.2 percent in December 2007 to 9.7 percent in March 2009. The April jobless data for the county will be released May 29.
"The increase in food and nutrition assistance is definitely related to the downturn in the economy," said Joe Raymond, the director of social services for Forsyth County.
There was an increase of 2,922 households from March 2008 to April 2009 to 15,758, which Raymond said "may be a record for Forsyth."
With nearly 6,700 household applicants through April 30, the county is on pace for more than 20,000 applications this year. The average denial rate for applicants is about 10.5 percent.
The federal-stimulus package is providing some help to families relying on food assistance.
The average recipient now receives $133 a month, up $16 before the stimulus package was enacted.
Still, the increase isn't likely to reduce lines at local offices of the N.C. Employment Security Commission and county social-services departments.
Raymond said that in recent months, his office has served more than 100 people a day, on average.
Archie Hicks, the manager of the employment-security commission's office in Winston-Salem, said that the office is assisting about 150 people a day.
"We do not track people in need of food assistance outside of the ones referred to us in the food and nutrition program by the county," Hicks said.
Raymond said he expects demand for food assistance to continue to rise this year as more individuals and families discover that they are eligible.
"More and more people are relying on public support for survival in the recession, some of whom never thought they would ever need the help," Raymond said. "Along the way, the poor keep getting poorer than they were."
People tend to apply for unemployment benefits first, then food assistance, said Wayne Black, the director of social services for Surry County.
According to the study, 16.2 percent of Surry residents are getting food assistance. The county had a 13.3 percent unemployment rate in March.
With manufacturing accounting for 90 percent of Surry's nearly 5,000 job cuts since January 2000, Black said he doesn't believe that "the county ever really recovered from the 2001 recession."
"Many people are losing their jobs through no fault of their own, so many feel no blow to their pride to apply for unemployment benefits." Black said. "When it comes to food assistance, it's often seen as an option of last resort."
In April, nearly 2,000 Surry County families received food from the U.S. Agriculture Department based on household income level and family size.
Black cautioned that a drop in the jobless rate doesn't indicate that the need for food assistance is lessening.
"Many people will go off unemployment benefits, either because they found a job or their benefits ran out," he said. "But they still may be eligible for food assistance, particularly for dependents."
Statewide, the number of individuals needing food assistance has climbed by 231,000 since December 2007 -- the equivalent of the population of Winston-Salem, said John Quinterno, a research associate for the tax center.
"While urban counties like Mecklenburg have added the greatest numbers of individuals to their caseloads, rural counties have posted the largest increases in percentage terms," Quinterno said.
There's also an economic aspect to the federal food-assistance program.
Previous research by the center found that food-assistance payments generated $2.8 billion in economic activity across North Carolina between December 2007 and March 2009.
■ Richard Craver can be reached at 727-7376 or at rcraver@wsjournal.com.
Food need rising in Triad
All but two counties in the Triad and Northwest North Carolina had a 20 percent or higher increase in demand for food assistance from December 2007 to April 2009.
County - Assisted individuals - Percentage of population - Percentage of increase
Alamance - 17,901 - 12.3 percent - 38.8 percent
Alleghany - 1,517 - 13.7 percent - 21.4 percent
Ashe - 3,551 - 13.5 percent - 33.5 percent
Davidson - 23,647 - 14.9 percent - 27.9 percent
Davie - 4,213 - 10.3 percent - 36.9 percent
Forsyth - 40,670 - 11.8 percent - 19.1 percent
Guilford - 64,052 - 13.7 percent - 21.6 percent
Randolph - 20,734 - 14.7 percent - 30 percent
Rockingham - 13,094 - 14.3 percent - 22.8 percent
Stokes - 4,553 - 9.8 percent - 10.5 percent
Surry - 11,910 - 16.2 percent - 26.9 percent
Watauga - 2,701 - 6 percent - 30.9 percent
Wilkes - 10,909 - 16.2 percent - 29.2 percent
Yadkin - 4,581 - 12 percent - 36.7 percent
Source: UNC-CH Jordan Institute of Families, Office of State Budget and Management
Email
Print
