NW Iowa News

Palo Alto County saw a 9.1 percent decrease in the number of households participating in Iowa's Food Assistance Program from 2019 to 2020, according to a Palo Alto County Guide analysis of data from the state's Department of Human Services.

In 2020, 301 households (625 residents) in Palo Alto County participated in the Program compared to 331 households (700 residents) in 2019.

Overall, $1,177,551 in food assistance payments were allocated to Palo Alto County households in 2020.

In 2019, $861,174 was allocated for Palo Alto County households in the Program.

Qualified recipients in the Program are eligible to receive financial assistance in the form of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, which then can be used to buy groceries. The Program is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's larger Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Palo Alto County Households Participating in Iowa's Food Assistance Program 2011-2020

Year	Number of households
2011	368
2012	394
2013	432
2014	388
2015	398
2016	374
2017	368
2018	365
2019	331
2020	301