NEW STUDY SHOWS FOOD STAMPS ARE REACHING POOREST HOUSEHOLDS, CHILDREN,
  AND ELDERLY                                       
                                      Release No. 0134.00  
                                                           
                        Mary Beth Schultheis (202) 720-4623
                              mary_beth.schultheis@usda.gov
                                 Jean Daniel (703) 305-2286
                                   jean.daniel@fns.usda.gov
  
  NEW STUDY SHOWS FOOD STAMPS ARE REACHING POOREST HOUSEHOLDS, CHILDREN,
  AND ELDERLY
  
       WASHINGTON, April 25, 2000 Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman
  today released a new study that finds over 90 percent of food stamp
  benefits went to households with children and elderly or disabled people
  in 1998, and the vast majority of food stamp households had incomes at
  or below the federal poverty level.
  
       The study, published by USDA's Food and Nutrition Service, showed
  that more than half of all food stamp recipients were children, most of
  whom lived in a household headed by a single parent.  Households with
  children also tended to be working poor households.  While more than
  one-fourth of all food stamp households had earned income, nearly 40
  percent of those with children had earnings.
  
       "Food stamps are America's first line of defense against hunger,"
  said Glickman. This study shows they are reaching families and children
  who most need nutrition assistance."
  
       The study also showed:
  
            The Food Stamp Program served 19.8 million people in 8.2 million
       households each month in 1998.  Slightly over half were children;
       39 percent were non-elderly adults; and 8 percent were elderly. 
       More than two-thirds of participating adults were women.
       
            In households of a single adult with children, 94 percent were
       headed by women and 4 percent by men.  The remaining 2 percent
       were unknown.
       
            The average household size was 2.4 people, and the average
       household food stamp benefit was $165 a month.
       
            While average income increased 6 percent, 90 percent of food stamp
       households had incomes that were at or below the federal poverty
       guideline ($13,330 for a family of three in 1998), and one-third
       had incomes that were less half of the guideline.
  
            40.1 percent of all food stamp participants were white, 36.3
       percent were African American, 18.3 percent were Hispanic, 3
       percent Asian and 1.6 percent Native American.  Another 0.7
       percent were of unknown ethnicity.
  
            The vast majority--93.7 percent--of participants were U.S.-born
       citizens.  Another 2 percent were naturalized citizens; and 3.1
       percent were legal aliens.  The citizenship status of the
       remaining 1.2 percent was not known.  
       
       The full study, "Characteristics of Food Stamp Households,"is
  available on the web at www.fns.usda.gov, under "Research."
  
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