FOOD STAMP APPLICATIONS BEING TAKEN

While the contest of wills between President Clinton and Congress continues, so does the processing of food stamp applications, state officials said.

Associated Press reports on the government shutdown said no new applications would be accepted during the budget impasse, but that's not the case, said James Woodsmall, assistant to the director of the Missouri Division of Family Services.

Woodsmall said his office checked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which funds the food stamp program, and was told the program has not been shut down. The program is federally-funded but administered by the state.

"At least in this state for certain, we're still taking new applications," he said. "It's certainly open under what we've been told at this time."

Woodsmall provided a Wednesday memo from Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman that stated USDA would be up and running Thursday and that all employees should report to work.

In the memo, Glickman stated that the agricultural appropriation was signed by the president Oct. 21.

Frances Gould, director of the Cape Girardeau County Family Services office, said her office got calls from lots of worried clients after an Associated Press graphic in Tuesday's Southeast Missourian indicated applications were not being processed.

"We've been getting calls locally, and they've also been getting calls at the state office," she said.

"We would like to let people know that business is the same as usual," Gould said Wednesday. "Anyone who wishes to apply for food stamps can come in. Services are still available. Those services have not been ceased or stopped or put on hold."

In September, 2,354 Cape Girardeau County households, or 5,293 individuals, received food stamps worth $359,986, said Woodsmall. Annually, Cape Girardeau County residents receive an average of $4.32 million in food stamps, Woodsmall said.

Statewide, $39.3 million worth of food stamps were issued in fiscal 1995, Woodsmall said.