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Collier, Lee food stamp applications up as economy sputters
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Jeffrey Davis used to build screen enclosures for a living until his life came crashing down after an auto accident.
That was 1 1⁄2 years ago, and now jobs have dried up with the fallout of the construction industry in Southwest Florida.
So the 51-year-old Isles of Capri resident went Monday afternoon to the cramped economic services office of the state Department of Children and Families in East Naples to renew his food stamps benefit that is scheduled to expire next week.
“I don’t like to do this but what am I supposed to do?” he asked. “I don’t know where to turn. I have no source of income. I lost my house.”
DCF caseworkers who guide people through the application maze for food stamps or temporary cash assistance are seeing a huge influx of applicants due to widespread job layoffs and limited work in the construction industry that has left thousands of trades’ people in the lurches.
“I’ve been in construction all my life,” said Davis, who is living with a friend. “It’s a nightmare.”
The number of families requesting food stamps has gone from 4,416 in April 2007 to 5,824 last month in Collier County, a 32 percent increase. Similarly, the number of single people applying for food stamps went from 8,436 individuals in April 2007 to 11,477 individuals this past April for a 36 percent jump, according to the district DCF.
Dollar-wise in Collier, the state agency was providing $765,850 in food stamps to the needy in April 2007 and the amount grew to $1.14 million this past April. The U.S. Department of Agriculture funds the food stamp program.
Eligibility is based on federal poverty guidelines and family size. The maximum amount in food stamps that a family of four can receive is $564 a month and that is expected to increase in October, according to Erin Gillespie, spokeswoman for DCF in the region. An individual can receive $162 in food stamp assistance a month.
In much more populous Lee County, the state had 21,882 individual requests for food stamps in April 2007 and that skyrocketed to 35,254 individuals in April for a 61 percent increase.
The number of families receiving food stamps was 10,768 a year ago and stood at 17,147 families last month for a 59 percent jump in one year.
More than $3.5 million in food stamp assistance was provided to Lee residents last month, compared to $1.9 million a year ago.
“It was a straight line up,” said Kathy Spiak, a program administrator with DCF in Fort Myers. “When the construction industry started to fall, that is when we saw the biggest jump.”
The need came as no surprise but caseworkers are surprised by some of the people who applied for food stamps or temporary cash assistance.
“We are seeing clients who we thought, and they never thought, they would come to our door,” she said.
After 14 months of steady increases, there may be a short-termed leveling off of applications but when schools let out next month, bus drivers and food service workers who aren’t working may need assistance, she said.
“We are coasting right now while the rest of the state is seeing increase,” she said. “I just think we were ahead of the curve on losses in the construction industry.”
Statewide, $142 million in food stamp assistance was provided this past month, up from $110 million in April 2007, Gillespie said.
Patrick Cuervo, 47, also worked in construction until he was the victim of a hit-and-run accident on Bayshore Avenue in early March in East Naples and spent several days in the hospital. He spent nearly an hour filling out an online application for food stamps at the DCF office in East Naples, at one of four computers set up for the public to access. People can also apply online at home or other community access computers at churches and community centers.
“I’ll find out in eight to 10 days,” Cuervo said. “Every two to three minutes, another person walks in the door. There’s just no work. Looking at the classifieds, there’s nothing.”
For more information about DCF’s economic services program, call 1-866-762-2237 or go online at www.mylforida.com/accessflorida.
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typical monthly expenses = $1,500 mortgage, $400 utilities, $500 car payment/insurance, $300 gas, $600 food, $60 cell phone, $250 health insurance.
$3610 a month x 12 months = $43,320 yr div x 52 wks = $833 wk after taxes.
$600 wk is good pay? i think not
$1,000 wk (in this area) is barely getting by and god forbid something unexpected comes up or if you have kids then you might as well forget it.
the cost of everything mentioned above has literally gone up 1,000% since the early 70's
has the average weekly pay gone up as much as well?
i think not
#1 Posted by Chenzo on May 13, 2008 at 9:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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