Food Stamp Office

As the year comes to a close with the nation still in the grips of a nasty recession, Washington state has a record 12.8 percent of the state population receiving food stamps. In October 855,000 people were enrolled in the food stamp program — many for the first time.

CANYON COUNTY — As unemployment has steadily increased the past two years, food stamps have arisen as a crucial safety net for many victims of the recession. In Canyon County, among the hardest hit areas in the state, the number of food stamp users has nearly doubled since the recession began two years ago.

There are record numbers of people in the state receiving food stamp assistance right now.

The number of Connecticut residents who rely on food stamp rose by 30 percent this year.