Effective yesterday (April 1), Wisconsin is receiving a significant increase in federal funds for the FoodShare program. The boost stems from passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), otherwise known federal stimulus package. Program participants will see an increase in their benefits, and more families will be eligible as well. For Wisconsinites who are already enrolled in the program, the increase will appear automatically in their benefits beginning April 1. For example, a family of four in the Wisconsin FoodShare program will receive an additional $80 per month in assistance. Economists have long known that investing resources into assistance for low-income households is one of the fastest and most effective ways to stimulate the economy. For example, Moody’s Economy.com reported last year that each dollar invested in the program yielded a return of $1.73.

Here are newspaper coverage of the FoodShare increase and a USDA handout about the impact on benefits.