Ventura Food Stamp Workers Recognized as One of the Nation’s Best

With unemployment at a national, state and county high; residents of Ventura County are looking for assistance to get through these difficult times.  Many families are reaching out to Ventura County’s Human Services Agency for the first time and fortunately the professionals that will be helping them apply for benefits are one of the best staffs in the nation (top 5%) are also members of SEIU 721.   “People are struggling and it’s important that we properly determine all of the benefits they are due and even more so with a struggling economy”  Faith Lugo, Quality Control Analyst, Ventura County employee since 1989 and SEIU 721 member. On October 27, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution recognizing the Food Stamp staff on their accuracy and efficiency.  During 2008, Ventura County social service workers successfully determined eligibility for almost 50,000 residents and had less than 1% error rate on the applications.  Representatives from Washington DC and Sacramento also attended the presentation. “If the rest of the country had your accuracy rates, we would have saved $1.4 billion.”   Dennis Stewart, Western Regional Director Food Stamp Program told county officials and staff.  “Your thoroughness helps ensure that people receive the full benefits they are eligible for decreases the risk of fraud,” Stewart continued. The Food Stamp Program (FSP) is a federal benefit that provides vital assistance for families especially now during this difficult economic time.  The FSP not only provides immediate assistance to the recipients but every $1 in federal food stamps generates $1.83 to the local economy.  Last year, Ventura County distributed $46.5 million in food stamp benefits which produced an economic impact of $85 million. Ventura County Food Stamp Workers have also had the highest accuracy rate in California six out of the last eight years.