NE Iowa News

Clayton County saw a 2.2 percent decrease in the number of residents who participated in Iowa's Food Assistance Program from 2020 to 2021, according to a Clayton Guide analysis of data from the state's Department of Human Services.

In 2021, 1,008 recipients (516 households) in Clayton County participated in the Program compared to 1,031 recipients (522 households) in 2020.

Overall, $1,897,481 in food assistance payments were allocated to Clayton County recipients in 2021.

In 2020, $1,137,326 was allocated for Clayton County program participants.

Qualified recipients in the Program are eligible to receive financial assistance in the form of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, which then can be used to buy groceries. The Program is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's larger Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Number of Food Assistance Program Participants in Clayton County 2012-2021

Year	Number of recipients
2012	1,535
2013	1,545
2014	1,438
2015	1,375
2016	1,344
2017	1,267
2018	1,105
2019	1,031
2020	1,008
2021	982