Food Stamp Benefit Cuts Affect Hundreds of Struggling Ramonans

Nearly 270,000 people in San Diego County and many in Ramona who rely on food stamps to keep their families fed saw their benefits cut by 5 percent on Friday.

In Ramona, 2.9 percent of residents receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food stamp benefits and 10.2 percent are considered to be living under the poverty line, according to the 2011 American Community Survey.

Monthly benefits for a family of four dropped about $36, to $632 on Friday, a total cut of $5 billion. The benefits were raised by about $133 during the recession as part of stimulus, which expired Nov. 1.

The average monthly benefit per person is $133.85, or less than $1.50 per person, per meal, according to SNAP. This means a family of four could lose funds for up to 24 meals each month.

Jennifer Tracy, executive director of the San Diego Hunger Coalition, told KPBS that this drop in benefits will have a serious affect on local families already struggling.

"These benefits are calculated in a very old formula that doesn’t actually give people enough dollars to spend on food for the month," said Tracy.

"Most people’s benefits already run out at the second or third week of the month."

She said that food banks will have to pick up the slack for local families in need.

Here's a partial list of food banks/pantries in the Ramona area that provide free or low cost food and meals (add any we missed to the comments and call for details):

Ramona Food and Clothes Closet
773 Main St
Ramona, CA 92065
Telephone number: 760-789-4458

In His Steps
1619 La Brea St.
Ramona, CA 92065
Tel: 760-788-4716

Kids First Foundation
1236 H St.
Ramona, CA 92065
Tel: 760-631-7550 x232

Restoration Ranch
Food pantry location - 940 Montecito Way
Ramona, CA 92065
Tel: 760-787-9432

Soteria Alliance Corporation
647 Amigos Rd
Ramona, California 92065
Tel: 760-787-0935

COMMENT: What other local food resources are available to those in need in Ramona?