LUMBERTON — Almost 3,000 food-stamp recipients in Robeson County will either have to do some work or get job training in order to continue to receive that benefit.
But they are getting a six-month reprieve on the deadline to do so.
Gov. Pat McCrory last week signed a bill that requires able-bodied adults without dependent children to work to receive food stamps, get job training or some combination of the two.
Sally Speights, the program manager overseeing nutrition programs at the Robeson County Department of Social Services, said the state estimates that about 2,814 of the county’s 45,000 food stamp recipients will be affected. Currently, Robeson County receives about $5.5 million of food stamps a month, or $66 million a year. The benefit comes out to an average of about $36 worth of food per person each month.
The law will take effect in some counties on New Year’s Day, but not in Robeson, where it will take effect the beginning of the next fiscal year.
“Only 23 counties in the state will be required to follow the new regulations on Jan. 1,” said Speights. “The rest of the 100 counties will have to follow the law by July 1.”
The law, which reinstates federal regulations that were waived in 2008 when the recession made it difficult to find jobs, was tagged onto an immigration bill that was passed by the General Assembly in the late hours of the legislative session that adjourned Sept. 30.
The work regulations are contained in the federal 1996 welfare reform law that requires any able-bodied person ages 18 to 49 who does not have dependent children to either work, participate in a job-training program, or a combination of the two at least 20 hours a week in order to receive food stamps. Speights said the work requirement includes working as a volunteer.
Speights updated the Department of Social Services board at its monthly meeting last week. She said that anyone collecting benefits for more than three months during any three-year period while failing to meet work requirements would lose their benefits.
“Those who fall under the able-bodied adult category with no dependent children will be reviewed to ensure that they are meeting all requirements every three months,” she said. “Today, food stamp re-certifications are all done every six months.”
State Rep. Garland Pierce had advocated that the governor veto the bill, saying argued that the regulations will especially hurt those in rural counties, where he said it’s difficult to find jobs.
The day after the governor’s signing of the bill, Pierce was still irked that the bill was not vetoed. He cited the benefit to the local economy.
“Food stamps is a big business,” he said. “If people don’t have the stamps to use at local grocery stores, don’t you think a lot of them will be closing up?”
House Rep. Charles Graham and Sen. Jane Smith, both Democrats representing Robeson County, also voted against the bill. Both said they did so because of the shortage of available jobs in the county.
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