Cherokee County saw a 3.2 percent decrease in the number of residents who participated in Iowa’s Food Assistance Program from 2019 to 2020, according to a Cherokee Guide analysis of data from the state’s Department of Human Services.
In 2020, 790 recipients (384 households) in Cherokee County participated in the Program compared to 816 recipients (400 households) in 2019.
Overall, $1,481,031 in food assistance payments were allocated to Cherokee County recipients in 2020.
In 2019, $978,919 was allocated for Cherokee County program participants.
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.
Number of Food Assistance Program Participants in Cherokee County 2011-2020
| Year | Number of recipients |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 1,074 |
| 2012 | 1,214 |
| 2013 | 1,160 |
| 2014 | 1,121 |
| 2015 | 1,104 |
| 2016 | 1,049 |
| 2017 | 972 |
| 2018 | 876 |
| 2019 | 816 |
| 2020 | 790 |
