The Iowa Department of Human Services says their efforts to make federal food assistance dollars more accessible are working. The department says a record number of Iowans received the electronic cards in February that allowed them to purchase food items approved through what used to be called the food stamp program.
The electronic cards are one of the changes made to try and bring less of a stigma to accepting the government help, and the program is now called “food assistance.” The D-H-S has also run an ad campaign encouraging people who’re eligible to sign up for the food assistance.
The food assistance program is administered by D-H-S but the money is all federal dollars. The D-H-S says the amount of federal tax dollars returning to Iowa for the program has also set a record.