Boone County saw a 4.4 percent decrease in the number of households participating in Iowa’s Food Assistance Program from 2019 to 2020, according to a Boone County Guide analysis of data from the state’s Department of Human Services.
In 2020, 892 households (1,751 residents) in Boone County participated in the Program compared to 933 households (1,863 residents) in 2019.
Overall, $3,339,507 in food assistance payments were allocated to Boone County households in 2020.
In 2019, $2,388,082 was allocated for Boone County households in the Program.
Qualified recipients in the Program are eligible to receive financial assistance in the form of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, which then can be used to buy groceries. The Program is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s larger Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Boone County Households Participating in Iowa’s Food Assistance Program 2011-2020
| Year | Number of households |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 1,258 |
| 2012 | 1,342 |
| 2013 | 1,333 |
| 2014 | 1,252 |
| 2015 | 1,187 |
| 2016 | 1,144 |
| 2017 | 1,067 |
| 2018 | 1,017 |
| 2019 | 933 |
| 2020 | 892 |
