KJCT8.com - Grand Junction, Montrose - Weather, News, Sports | Where are my food stamps?
Mesa County was caught by surprise and is still trying to catch up. Food stamps are not getting to families as fast as they need them. In April 2008 the Department of Human Services says they received 402 applications for food stamps and financial assistants. Those numbers nearly doubled in April of 2009 to 780. Applications are taking 60-90 days to fully process, rather than the 30 days mandated by federal guidelines.
Human Services says this influx of applications began last fall and they are still trying to catch up. "It took us awhile to put some strategies together and get our feet under ourselves. We've shifted some resources in order to accommodate the increase work load coming in so that we can get a handle on things and start processing things more timely," says Michelle Trujillo with DHS
Human Services says another problem is people come in and need assistance immediately. This department is not able to provide that help so quickly, even in a normal economy. They recommend families call Colorado 211. This resource can provide information where families can find free or reduce priced food, housing, and clothing.
