WC Iowa News

Greene County saw a 4.7 percent decrease in the number of residents who participated in Iowa's Food Assistance Program from 2020 to 2021, according to a Greene Guide analysis of data from the state's Department of Human Services.

In 2021, 923 recipients (444 households) in Greene County participated in the Program compared to 969 recipients (448 households) in 2020.

Overall, $1,732,891 in food assistance payments were allocated to Greene County recipients in 2021.

In 2020, $1,144,422 was allocated for Greene 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 Greene County 2012-2021

Year	Number of recipients
2012	1,341
2013	1,404
2014	1,410
2015	1,346
2016	1,244
2017	1,209
2018	1,117
2019	969
2020	923
2021	899