The District does so well managing its considerable food stamp program that the federal government has awarded the city extra money for good performance.
The D.C. Income Maintenance Administration, a division of the human services department, was recently awarded a $600,000 bonus for providing quality access to food stamps to 85,000 entitled District residents and for administration of the food stamp program.
“We have received five bonuses, I believe, for timely processing and access,” said Sharon Cooper-DeLoatch, acting administrator of the Income Maintenance Administration. “What that means is we open early. We stay late. We see everyone that comes through our door. And for those who are entitled to benefits, we make sure to process those very quickly.”
The five bonuses over three years, awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, total $2 million and make the District the second most highly awarded jurisdiction in the country.
The District, according to the human services department, now ranks among the top six jurisdictions for food stamp program operation.
Mayor Anthony Williams praised IMA staff for “helping people every day, and doing a better job of it each and every day, to meet their most basic needs and enter in the world of work.”
A portion of the $600,000 will be used to further improve customer access.
