Food Stamp Nation - Florida Leads The Pack

The Miami Herald reports that "In the last two years, the number of Floridians on food stamps has increased more than 40 percent to 1.7 million. That increase is the highest in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture."The numbers read like this, 356,000 food stamp recipients live...

By Jacob Katel

January 6, 2009

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The Miami Herald reports that

"In the last two years, the number of Floridians on

food stamps has increased more than 40 percent to 1.7 million. That

increase is the highest in the nation, according to the U.S. Department

of Agriculture."

The numbers read like this, 356,000 food stamp recipients live in Dade, 127,000 in Broward, and almost 1 in 10 Floridians carry EBT cards, plastic for broke folks. Fleeing felons and convicted drug traffickers need not apply for the program though, as those are causes of ineligibility.

According to the Florida Department of Children and Families, food stamps can only be used to buy food, or plants and seeds to grow food. They cannot however be used to buy alcohol, tobacco or "hot foods." I don't know whether they mean hot like temperature, or spicy; their site doesn't elaborate, and their phone line is busy. But according to this convenient eligibility survey, I may qualify for assistance. Hey a blogger gotta eat. But if they can't let me get my food hot with some Crystal, I want nothin to do with it.

-- Jacob Katel

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