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8211178 
Technical Report 
"Characteristics of Food Stamp Households, Fiscal Year 1997." 
"Cody, S; Castner, L" 
1999 
202 
"The Food Stamp Program (FSP) is a central component of America's antipoverty program. The major purpoe of the FSP is 'to permit low-income households to obtain a more nutritious diet . . . by increasing their purchasing power' (The Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended, P.L. 95-113). The FSP is the largest of the domestic food and nutrition assistance programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). During fiscal year 1997 the FSP served approximately 22.9 million people in an average month at a total cost of $21.5 billion. Since food stamps are available to most people who meet the income and resource standards set by Congress, the FSP serves a broad spectrum of needy people. Using FSP houshold data, which FNS periodically collects for quality control review purposes, FNS produces a series of reports (see Appendix L for a list of titles) to enhance understanding of those served by the program. This report presents a picture of households and individuals participating inthe FSP in fiscal year 1997." 
Food stamps | Households | Demography | Economic assistance | Federal assistance programs | Characteristics | Social welfare | Nutritionally disadvantaged