The state Department of Social and Health Services will target low-income residents in Kittitas, Island, Mason and Garfield counties with outreach efforts to enroll more eligible working poor citizens in the Department's Basic Food program (formerly known as food stamps). Basic Food also includes the Food Assistance program for legal immigrants.

Washington is one of six states selected to receive the $500,000 grant, which was sought by the DSHS Economic Services Administration. The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded the funding for the three-year pilot project, which provided $3 million for programs aimed at increasing Basic Food access for targeted underserved populations

The project will multiply access points for Basic Food by increasing links to community programs that serve working households and connect people with food benefits where they live and work. Reducing hunger by increasing access to safety-net programs continues to be a DSHS goal.

"This award is critical to ensuring that we are doing all we can to help connect people with services that help them feed their families," said Leo Ribas, DSHS director of the Community Services Division. "People who work hard every day are still struggling in these difficult economic times and may not have the time to come apply for help, or may not even be aware that they are eligible. This pilot will help ensure that the hard working people in Washington who are trying to make ends meet have more convenient access to food and nutrition and other services."

Over the past year, the Department has provided assistance to more than 100,000 additional households through initiatives such as marketing and increasing the amount of money a household can earn to be eligible. DSHS currently provides Basic Food benefits to more than 400,000 households. Each month, the program brings in more than $100 million in food benefits to be spent at local grocery stores. Through this pilot project, DSHS intends to increase participation by 100,000 individuals during the three-year project by reaching underserved populations in target areas.

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DSHS does not discriminate and provides equal access to its programs and services for all persons without regard to race, color, gender, religion, creed, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, age, veteran's status or the presence of any physical, sensory or mental disability.