Number of Oklahomans on food stamps declines

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) State Department of Human Services officials say the number of Oklahomans receiving food stamps declined by nearly 6,000 in February. <br/><br/>Still, members of the Human Services Commission

Friday, March 25th 2005, 5:53 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) State Department of Human Services officials say the number of Oklahomans receiving food stamps declined by nearly 6,000 in February.

Still, members of the Human Services Commission were told Thursday that use of the monthly assistance program remains at near-record highs.

According to figures, 420,044 Oklahomans received food stamps in February, down from 426,004 in January and 428,682 in December.

Agency Director Howard Hendrick says December was the biggest month ever for food stamp usage.

The latest two-month drop of 8,838 people taking the stamps represents the biggest drop since March 2002. Hendrick says that decline followed a spike in assistance prompted by a major ice storm in rural Oklahoma.

He also warned that more two-parent families are requiring assistance, up from 27 percent in April 2001 to 35 percent in December.

Hendrick says social workers are finding that even with both parents working, their combined income is inadequate to climb above federal poverty standards.