Plymouth County saw a 13.3 percent decrease in the number of residents who participated in Iowa’s Food Assistance Program from 2019 to 2020, according to a Plymouth Guide analysis of data from the state’s Department of Human Services.
In 2020, 1,131 recipients (554 households) in Plymouth County participated in the Program compared to 1,304 recipients (613 households) in 2019.
Overall, $2,138,155 in food assistance payments were allocated to Plymouth County recipients in 2020.
In 2019, $1,639,794 was allocated for Plymouth 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 Plymouth County 2011-2020
| Year | Number of recipients |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 1,578 |
| 2012 | 1,731 |
| 2013 | 1,780 |
| 2014 | 1,726 |
| 2015 | 1,636 |
| 2016 | 1,590 |
| 2017 | 1,572 |
| 2018 | 1,459 |
| 2019 | 1,304 |
| 2020 | 1,131 |
