4 Sep 2012

Food Stamp recipients in American Samoa get an extra 100 dollars

10:14 am on 4 September 2012

In American Samoa, the Department of Human and Social Services is adding a one time 100 US dollar payment in food vouchers for the Food Stamp Program for the month of September.

Director Leilua Stevenson says that the US Department of Agriculture, the Food and Nutrition Service has approved the bonus for all recipients of the Food Stamp Program.

It means that recipients receiving the full benefit amount of $160 per month will receive $260 in food coupons.

Leilua Stevenson says the one-time payment would help the vulnerable population put healthy food on their tables during hard economic times.

She says the bonus will be paid from unused funds that were approved for the Program for the current fiscal year.

The Program is currently serving over 4000 people - about 7 percent of the territory's population.

About half the recipients get the full monthly benefit.