Why is this important?
The existence of a growing population of people without reliable access to adequate nutritious food is a major national concern.  The Food Stamp Program is a nationally funded program that gives low-income families secure access to nutritious foods.  Most food stamp recipients are children and the elderly.  The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) serves low-income (185% of the official poverty level) pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, and infants and children up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk.

How are we doing?
On Long Island, there was a 33% increase in the number of households receiving food stamps between 2002 and 2007 but the figures were generally stable between 2006 and 2007.  

The number of WIC recipients increased 37% between 2002 and 2007.  There were 7% more WIC recipients in 2007 than in 2006. The percentage of children under 5 years of age receiving WIC increased 41% between 2002 and 2008.  Over 13% of Long Island’s children under the age of 5 are enrolled in the WIC program.