Buena Vista County saw a 7.2 percent decrease in the number of households participating in Iowa’s Food Assistance Program from 2019 to 2020, according to a Buena Vista County Guide analysis of data from the state’s Department of Human Services.
In 2020, 704 households (1,670 residents) in Buena Vista County participated in the Program compared to 759 households (1,847 residents) in 2019.
Overall, $3,065,609 in food assistance payments were allocated to Buena Vista County households in 2020.
In 2019, $2,121,088 was allocated for Buena Vista 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.
Buena Vista County Households Participating in Iowa’s Food Assistance Program 2011-2020
| Year | Number of households |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 958 |
| 2012 | 1,025 |
| 2013 | 1,100 |
| 2014 | 1,100 |
| 2015 | 1,053 |
| 2016 | 1,028 |
| 2017 | 970 |
| 2018 | 888 |
| 2019 | 759 |
| 2020 | 704 |
