Several Greensboro food banks need extra help in restoring their pantries. Guilford County is one of 4 test sites in North Carolina for a new food stamp software program. The Department of Social Services is installing it. But earlier this month, there was a computer glitch and 4,000 families were delayed in getting their benefits. So for several weeks, they've turned to area food banks including; the Greensboro Urban Ministry. Executive Director Reverend Mike Aiken, "Typically for food banks donations go down because people go on vacation. And then we found out because of these food stamps we gave double the number of food orders we normally give. 50 per day and we ended up giving 100 a day."
Reverend Aiken says the ministry is reaching out to its supporters for food donations to help replenish their supplies. On average, the Greensboro Urban Ministry feeds about
1,000 people a week through various programs. Adding to the strain is that children who would normally receive free or reduced cost school lunches are out for the summer, increasing the demand by families for food. At the same time, on Capitol Hill, Democrats and Republicans are debating on how to reduce the national food stamp program. Last year, the program cost $78 billion.
Reverend Aiken calls food stamp programs essential for families and our national economy,"it's pumping needed financial resources back into the community as people get the food stamps spend the money in the grocery stores, and that money circulates into the economy. So that's a fantastic stimulus program."
This new program is also being tested in Johnston, Catawba and Cateret Counties.
