They have soared in western Kent County, which includes Grand Rapids, a manufacturing hub for office furniture, and in vacation destinations like Grand Traverse County, where SNAP growth exceeded 40 percent. “In a time of unprecedented hardship, we are honored to be able to get families help they need,” he said. No state has seen more growth than Florida, which has added nearly a million residents to the rolls. With amusement parks closed and tourism vanishing, caseloads in Orange and Osceola Counties rose more than 50 percent, adding nearly 125,000 people. But a week after applying for SNAP, she had a debit card that allowed her to buy $355 of food at virtually any grocery store.

Source: New York Times July 19, 2020 21:22 UTC