by Associated Press
Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009
Welfare officials say the demand for food stamps in Massachusetts jumped 20 percent last year, straining the system and trying the patience of some residents applying for the benefit.
There are now about 600,000 Massachusetts residents getting food stamps after nearly 100,000 people were added to the rolls in 2008.
As many as 20,000 new applications are coming in each month, along with an average of 18,000 requests for extensions.
The rise in demand for food stamps comes at a time when the state Department of Transitional Assistance is dealing with a reduction in staff. It now takes as long as a month to process some applications.
Phuoc Cao, director of the state’s food stamps program, tells DNN, his department is doing its best.
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