The Nation - News from July 17, 1987

Fewer low-income households are using or seeking food stamps, with the number of applications dropping by 4.2 million over a two-year period, the General Accounting Office said in a report. The GAO reported the number of households applying for food stamps nationwide dropped from about 16.8 million to 12.6 million from fiscal years 1983 through 1985--a 25% decline. The total estimated number of households participating in the food stamp program fell from about 13.7 million in fiscal year 1983 to 12.8 million in 1985, a 7% decrease.