Social service agencies whittle down food-stamp backlogs

The backlog of food-stamp applications in Forsyth and Guilford counties dropped during the first two weeks of January, according to new numbers released by the NC Department of Health and Human Services.

Forsyth County ranks fourth for the number of total pending applications, with 2,233 on Jan. 14 — a 17.3 percent reduction from 2,700 reported on Dec. 31. The number of untimely delays, generally exceeding 30 days, has dropped from 2,017 to 1,494, while the number of applications pending for more than 120 days slightly increased from 177 to 280.

Only three counties — Wake, Mecklenburg and Cumberland — have a higher backlog of food-stamp applications.

In comparison, the total number of pending applications in Guilford County was 1,394 as of Jan. 14 — down from 1,593 on Dec. 31, while the number of untimely delays increased from 1,039 to 1,049. The number of applications pending for more than 120 days also increased, from 287 to 520.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports that the Forsyth County Department of Social Services disputes the numbers.

Background here.

Reduction in the statewide backlog is more dramatic than in Forsyth and Guilford counties, with the number of pending applications dropping from 53,025 on Dec. 31 to 11,339, although the agency has said that the earlier figure included a significant number of duplicates.

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