Dear friends,

We recently received an e-mail from Ollie C. Holden, regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, praising our department for its annual Food Stamp Accuracy Conference and its commitment to accuracy in the food stamp program. Here is a quote from the e-mail:  

“During the conference, Alan Shannon of my staff noted that Hamilton County is the only one we are aware of that holds such an event. He has also told me that the event was very well-run and that Hamilton County staff appear very motivated to perform at a high level. 

“Hamilton County already leads by holding such an event and by achieving high accuracy rates, but has established goals for further improvements. We believe that with continued effort Hamilton County can be a national leader in pursuing innovation in its administration of the Food Stamp Program. We support such innovations and are available to assist if needed. Thank you again for your dedication to the Food Stamp Program and for your efforts to improve performance in your county.”  

Food stamp accuracy is one of the routine things we are mandated to do that does not receive a lot of attention. But I believe our mandates -- the things we do each and every day to help the citizens of this county -- are the most important things we do as an agency. Food stamp payment accuracy might not make the 6 o’clock news, but it is, without a doubt, one of the most important things we do. It allows the public to have faith in our system and our ability to carry out our duties.  

We have about 75,000 Hamilton County residents receiving food stamps right now, and that number will grow as gas and food prices climb and unemployment lines get longer. Annually, we dispense $91 million in food stamps. Larger numbers mean more chances for mistakes, especially when most of those recipients are working, and we have to keep tabs on income changes. If we are not accurate, families do not get the money they deserve.  

I am proud of our commitment to accuracy and our annual accuracy conference. I sincerely appreciate the effort our employees put into the event, and their dedication to day-to-day accuracy. It might not grab headlines or lead newscasts, but it is important to the quality of life in our community.

Sincerely,

Moira