[ Originally published on: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 ]
Forty-year-old Cheryl Heston became sick four years ago and became unable to work, she finished up chemotherapy about a year ago and, soon after, her home that she lived in with her husband and son was foreclosed upon.
The family then moved to an apartment in Sunderland, where Heston continued to be unable to work. Her husband, who became the sole provider for the family of three, lost his job of seven years in the middle of June this year.
After he searched for jobs and was unsuccessful, Heston said she looked at her husband of eight years and said 'we have do something.'
It was then Heston made a phone call to apply for food stamps.
Food stamp use in Franklin County, and throughout the state, is growing quickly, and officials credit an easier application process and soaring food and energy prices.
Heston said she doesn't drive anymore and that the Greenfield office of the state Department of Transitional Assistance sent her a food stamp application to fill out.
She said she filled out the necessary paperwork and within a week, she said, she got the news that her family qualified for $400 for July. She said she was then able to go out for the first time in four years and buy 'real food and stock the cabinets.'
'It was one of those moments that I was so happy, I cried & It was an overwhelming feeling of joy & there is food in my cabinets.'
She also said that the caseworker that helped her with the process went 'above and beyond' because she knew about Heston's health condition and that she made the process go smoothly and quickly.
The state DTA has been working closely with local officials, community organizations and advocates to act on a number of initiatives, including Food Stamp Outreach Centers, a simplified application process, extended certification periods and a standard medical deduction.
Al Martone, DTA director of the Greenfield office, said that the county's food stamp case load is up about 83 percent from January 2003.
Martone said in January 2003 the Greenfield office had 1,644 food stamp cases and this month that number exceeded 3,000.
He accredited the fast growth to the DTA's initiatives, including establishing a satellite office in Athol, where a case manager works once a week to help with food stamp applications and other DTA services.
'When word got out about that, it was very busy,' he said.
He said the office also does phone interviews and mail-in and online applications, which helps the office cover the large geographic area that is Franklin County.
Amy West, DTA deputy chief of staff, said that in federal fiscal years 2000, 2001 and 2002 that Massachusetts was last in terms of food stamp participation.
Since then, participation has been growing fast and in 2006, the state was named the most improved in food stamp participation.
West said in January 2008, 491,696 people were enrolled for food stamps, receiving about $47 million worth of food. In comparison, in January 2003, the state had 284,495 people enrolled, which is about $20 million worth of food.
In February, four additional satellite offices and four food stamp outreach centers were set up. Two of the satellite offices were set up in Athol and Northampton.
'This expanded access provides clients with opportunities to meet one-on-one with experienced DTA staff,' said a statement by the department.
Mark Maloni, community projects coordinator for the regional anti-poverty agency Community Action, sees an improvement in the customer service provided by the DTA.
'The numbers have really started to change. The DTA has made a lot of changes that has made the process a lot more accessible,' Maloni said.
Maloni said Community Action targeted food stamp access as an issue after meeting with social service agencies three years ago.
'Resoundingly, we heard that there is minimal advocacy and education around food stamp access.'
The problem: People who would likely be eligible for aid felt the application and ongoing verification processes were demeaning.
'It's humbling enough to need to ask for assistance,' Maloni said. 'The more you have to prove your need -- that just turns people off that much more.'
The state has also extended certain eligible households certification periods from three and six months to 12 and 24 months.
Members of a task force that Maloni helped guide went to work to build a better relationship between social service organizations and the DTA.
The DTA recently changed its application for older people. They no longer need to provide proof of assets, such as a car or home. Now, the application focuses on income, Maloni said.
And for all applicants, Maloni applauds the fact that the DTA is no longer requiring ongoing verification, which simplifies matters for people receiving the aid.
Now, Community Action's work is expanding to broader food security issues, including work on summer meals programs for youth and joint efforts with the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and area survival centers to identify 'hunger gaps' in the region.
One goal is to have food stamps accepted at farmers markets in the upper valley. They are now accepted at some markets in Springfield, Maloni said.
In March, Massachusetts received a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture allowing for a standard medical deduction of $90 for qualified households that incur more than $35 in monthly medical expenses, including physician bills; hospital expenses; prescription drugs and some over-the-counter medications; dentures; and nursing care. Such deductions may help some applicants to qualify for more nutritional benefits each month. The department encourages elders and people with disabilities, who may have been previously ineligible for the program, to reapply.
Recipients get plastic cards that can be used at grocery stores like debit carts. They are prohibited from using food stamps to buy alcohol, tobacco products, vitamins and cosmetics.
The Daily Hampshire Gazette contributed to this article.