Jackson County saw a 5.9 percent decrease in the number of residents who participated in Iowa’s Food Assistance Program from 2019 to 2020, according to a Jackson Guide analysis of data from the state’s Department of Human Services.
In 2020, 1,713 recipients (834 households) in Jackson County participated in the Program compared to 1,820 recipients (862 households) in 2019.
Overall, $3,229,823 in food assistance payments were allocated to Jackson County recipients in 2020.
In 2019, $2,269,360 was allocated for Jackson County program participants.
Qualified recipients in the Program are eligible to receive financial assistance in the form of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, which then can be used to buy groceries. The Program is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s larger Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Number of Food Assistance Program Participants in Jackson County 2011-2020
| Year | Number of recipients |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 2,479 |
| 2012 | 2,710 |
| 2013 | 2,718 |
| 2014 | 2,541 |
| 2015 | 2,324 |
| 2016 | 2,215 |
| 2017 | 2,115 |
| 2018 | 1,968 |
| 2019 | 1,820 |
| 2020 | 1,713 |
