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IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2004

Food Stamp Program Receives $1.6 Million in Bonus Funding
Payment Accuracy Now Second in Nation

TRENTON – Human Services Commissioner James M. Davy accepted a $1.6 million check from the federal government today, a bonus for the department's continued improvement to the Food Stamp Program.

“This bonus funding is high praise for the hard work our Division of Family Development and the County Welfare Agencies have done together to enhance our payment accuracy,” Commissioner Davy said.

In presenting the check, U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service Administrator Roberto Salazar recognized the accuracy of New Jersey 's Food Stamp Program. “We are pleased to watch New Jersey improve from having one of the worst accuracy rates in the nation to one of the best,” Salazar said.

Over the last five years, New Jersey has gone from an error rate of 12.75 percent to 2.43 percent this year. Enrollment in the program has increased as well with 9 percent more households receiving food stamp benefits.

“Our participation in the program continues to grow,” Commissioner Davy said. “Now we have more than 165,000 households receiving food stamps and we expect more to follow now that we have the application available online.”

For more information on NJ's Food Stamp Program, visit NJHelps.org or call 1-800-792-9773.

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