The number of Florida residents who receive federal food assistance dropped by 23% during the past year, state data published this month show.
Flagler County has 22 percent fewer beneficiaries than it did a year ago. According to the Department of Children and Families, Flagler County had 13,396 food stamps clients in July 2025. The case load dropped to 10,388 in June. That is the lowest number of local residents on food assistance since September 2009, when the caseload was 10,085, and the county’s population was 35 percent smaller.
In Florida, there were 2,285,099 residents enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in June, down from the 2,970,283 in June 2025, data maintained by the Department of Children and Families show. (See the full data here.)
That’s about a 23% reduction. SNAP enrollment dropped steadily in each of the past 12 months, as it has in Flagler County (where enrollment dropped in 11 of the last 12 months).
Likewise Flagler County households receiving food assistance declined from 6,980 a year ago to 5,514 in June, a 21 percent decline. There were 52,582 households in Flagler County in the last three-year estimate of the Census Bureau.
In cash issuance for food stamps, the county went from $2.3 million last July to $1.7 million in June, representing a significant cumulative loss of money circulating in the local economy through grocery stores. (Medicaid, the insurance program for the poor, also shed some 500 clients in Flagler County, from 19,292 a year ago.)
“I am concerned that this is a sign of our already thin safety net being stretched even thinner,” Carrie Baird, chief executive officer of Flagler Cares in Palm Coast, said. “For many households, SNAP is the last remaining source of basic support that helps stabilize their family during difficult times. As the administrative requirements for SNAP increase, households without reliable internet access, a computer, or the skills needed to navigate a completely online application process simply cannot complete the application—even if they would otherwise be eligible for assistance.”
Across the state, the decrease in SNAP clients was outpaced by the 26.1% reduction in financial assistance awarded, from nearly $541 million in June 2025 to about $399 million last month. Annualized, that means Florida’s economy will lose $1.7 billion if the cash amount dispensed were to remain at June’s level, compared to a year ago. (Florida’s economy generates about $1.8 trillion in economic activity.)
Enrollment in social services programs such as SNAP is countercyclical, meaning it increases as the economy worsens. But the drop-off in SNAP enrollment occurred even as the state’s unemployment rate increased during the year, U.S. Bureau and Labor Statistics data show–especially in Flagler County: Flagler County’s unemployment rate was at 5.5 percent in June, up from 4.7 percent a year ago.
The number of enrollees in SNAP was dipping before the July 2025 enactment of the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act but increased as the law took effect. The law slashes spending on the food security program by $187 billion over a decade.
To accomplish those costs savings, Congress required states with SNAP payment error rates of more than 6% to contribute toward the costs of the food beginning next year.
Under the law, states with error rates of 10% or more would have to contribute 15% toward food costs, which puts Florida on track to have to pay upward of $1 billion to maintain food benefits at existing levels.
Payment error rates measure the accuracy of each state’s eligibility and benefit determinations and include overpayments and underpayments.
The federal law also:
- Limited the categories of lawfully present immigrants who could qualify for benefits.
- Extend work requirements to older adults aged 55 through 64 and parents with children aged 14 and older.
- Eliminated work requirement exemptions for veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and young people who recently aged out of foster care.
SNAP provides nutritional support for low-income seniors, people with disabilities living on fixed incomes, and other individuals and families with low incomes. Although funded by the federal government, SNAP in Florida is administered by DCF’s Office of Economic Self-Sufficiency, which is responsible for determining eligibility.
“When federal and state resources become inaccessible, families turn to their local community—to food banks, churches, nonprofits, and local government,” Baird said. “I believe we will find that, in Flagler County, there simply isn’t enough assistance available to meet this growing need. More households will fall through the gaps, not because they don’t qualify for help, but because they cannot access it.”
National trend
Florida is not the only state to see a reduction in SNAP enrollees, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, but it experienced one of the more noticeable dips.
Nationwide, SNAP participation fell by more than 4.5 million people, or about 11%, since the federal budget bill took effect, the nonpartisan research and policy institute reports. Arizona saw a 44% reduction in its SNAP participation from July 2025 to June 2026 and Louisiana had a 21% reduction.
The center put Florida’s reduction rate at 21% and Oklahoma’s at 18%.
The center relied on data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Federal data differ from state data due to differences in state and federal reporting protocols.
The atrophy in enrollment occurred despite a double-digit increase in the number of requests for assistance, which from June 2025 to June 2026 jumped by 15.2%.
–Christine Sexton, Florida Phoenix, and FlaglerLive
Al says
These people should start considering taking the jobs that Americans won’t do. They won’t do these jobs as long as they get supported by handouts. There are a number of people that really need the help but nowhere as many that have taken it. Thin the roles and use the savings for the betterment of all not the support me crowd. They can always go to NYC and get free stuff from the idiots that voted for socialism.
Sarcastic Sally says
People should really start taking these back breaking jobs that pay so little, that’s what they deserve for being POOR and needing to eat! The audacity of these people, to need money to rent a place to live AND for food?? 🙄 They should really learn photosynthesis and stop taking HANDOUTS. They pay taxes, after all, BUSINESSES need that money to bail them out more than their families need to eat healthy food!! 💀
Laurel says
Al, are you saying your kids are willing to work in Belle Glade?
JimboXYZ says
These programs are supposed to be gap solutions, not a way of life. Makes anyone wonder how much of this was fraud & abuse, wasteful spending for those that were able to work & pay their way rather than be Biden Federal & State program recipients for life. If they had children, their kids were getting breakfast & lunch for the entire school year ? When some folks are trained to be recipients, it’s hard to break that cycle of freeloading ? The case load drops only indicate who were on & went off, not the reason for that “off” the rolls ? 4.5 million nationwide ? That’s far short of the illegal immigration number of 11+ million. How many of those 4.5 million were deportees, self deported or handled by ICE ? FL got it’s share of illegals from the Biden airlifts & busing efforts. AZ, 44% drop in SNAP participation ? What is that for raw numbers of the 4.5 million nationwide. What was CA’s percentage & raw number ? TX. There’s more than likely a higher number of those still on SNAP for the sanctuary cities & historically Blue states ?
And citing Flagler County’s unemployment rate, does that factor in Boston Whaler shutting down operations from relative full employment to an empty facility ? That was 300 jobs pretty much. Being that it’s almost Aug 2026, that complete shutdown should have been completed by mid-July 2026. Perhaps the other unemployed are those that are relocating from the duplex rentals that Palm Coast has become. It would be interesting to see what the real stats & reasons for why duplex rental properties have increased just on the streets nearer to me. My neighborhood can’t be the only under & over utilized residential dwellings. There are quite a few newer Biden era construction residential properties that simply remain unsold or are back on the market as 2-4 year property flips. The Biden-Harris era in a lot of ways was Bush-Cheney era propserity, just no bailouts for Trump-Vance like Obama-Biden. I was thinking over the last 5-6 years that Biden was setting us up for a repeat of what Bush => Obama was piling on the double down of National Debt that every POTUS has historically done for their 8 years of inflation & debt for their on the job performance. Very few POTUS have left office with anything more than mid 30’s % approval for handling of anything pretty much. We basically have a succession of terms for Jimmy Carter like failure. And it easily goes back to HW Bush to even present day approval ratings of Trump-Vance. I read in an article the age old quote Clinton used. The POTUS job isn’t to create a perfect USA, just a better USA, and every POTUS we’ve had over my lifetime really has failed to do either. Like the deadbeat debtor, postpone the bulk of their failure to land on the net one in office. And that one has done the same thing. Legacy of any POTUS is a failing grade really. But the job pays $ 400K/year per term served as employment & a pension for life. they all haven’t had any problem processing that direct deposit every month. What would Biden do with his skillset at his age that anyone would pay him $ 400K/year. I understand he has a book coming out ? Who wants to read that, we lived it, the aftermath of it. It’s like the POTUS during the great Depression of the 1930’s publishing memoirs while folks are standing in the food lines unemployed ? I bet Pelosi will get/have a copy, Biden probably gives that book to her. Hopefully, it’s only a pdf version, so we don’t waste trees, glue & ink to print the entirety of the publishings.
Samuel L. Bronkowitz says
Biden must have shit in Trump’s diapers, huh.
JimboXYZ says
I think I gave the roster of POTUS-VPOTUS their fair share of their blame ? Biden, what a guy, went after over $ 1/2 billion from Trump thru the State of NY justice system, yet couldn’t convict his own son for a prison sentence over $ 1.5 million dollars of tax evasion. I’d say they all crapped in our corn flakes for breakfast every day.
Kennan says
😂😆😂😆😂 Thank you Samurai Samuel!!
Deborah Coffey says
Sounds like you should probably be shopping for a new country to live in? And, do you have any idea of the debt that Trump has accrued for the U.S.? Your version of the country seems to lack a lot of actual facts.
Richard Fay says
There appears to be another language required to apply for services from DCF’s Department of Economic Self Sufficiency, binary code. It is cruel to have this barrier to accessing services. Potential recipients of SNAP benefits have paid into the program through their Federal taxes. To assume all citizens are computer literate and/or have access to a computer to complete the application process seems unjust. Although the enrollment numbers are down it does not inform us about the level of food insecurity in our community. A crude measure of surveying food pantries and charitable organizations that may offer food support cannot capture the adverse effects of hunger in our community. I am not sure what FLORIDA CHARTS data might help us understand the level of hunger or food insecurity in our community but it is definitely an indicator of well being that our policy makers should be or should strongly consider monitoring.
Pat Stote says
This should make Republicans in Washington DC very proud and happy. Greet job while you all get fat eating in gilded dining rooms.
Samuel L. Bronkowitz says
“Fuck the poor, more money for me and israel.” – Republican Jesus
Ed P says
Why is it estimated that 20%-23% of SNAP benefits are spent on the junk food category?
When did a candy bar and a sugary soda become nutritional?
Applying that 20-23% between $19 billion and $22 billion in this taxpayer fund is spent on junk food nationally each year.
Sarcastic Sally says
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that people with SNAP are poor and otherwise cannot afford a treat once in a while? I see nothing wrong with a hard working single mom buying herself a little sweet treat. It’s better than buying cigarettes or alcohol, right?
Ed P says
Hello Sally,
Do you realize how many zeros in 20 billion?
Answer 10
20% is 1/5. That’s 20 cents of every dollar spent on junk food.
Are you serious?
Laurel says
There aren’t too many Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s in poor neighborhoods. There are a lot of convenient stores however, and they rarely have anything more than junk food.
Ed P says
Add the $20,000,000.00 to any shenanigans that occur, with fraud abuse. Such as SNAP to purchase baby formula at the clubs and selling it back to smaller retailers for 1/2 price.
What about the average number, 2100 retailers, who get disqualified annually for violations.
And if you are going to say it’s not a huge problem, then why does SNAP conduct 50,000 undercover visits and purchases every year attempting to control this fraud.
So add the junk food % to the mismanaged or stolen (another 20%) and we have about 40% that is wasted.
Would anyone endorse 40 cents of waste/fraud of every dollar spent smart.
Adding in another $10-$12 billion to administration and enforcement and we have surpassed 50%.
That’s government working hard to spend our tax dollars wisely.
1/2 of every SNAP dollar does not benefit the needy.
Stop defending the indefensible.
Deborah Coffey says
But, it’s okay with you that Trump and his friends are taking much more than $20 billion out of YOUR pocket and everyone else’s while people can’t feed their kids? Do you have any idea how much and how many different things they’ve taken away from Americans? That 22,000,000 people lost their health insurance?
Ed P says
Hello Deborah,
The welfare system is supposed to be a safety net for those incapable of supporting themselves or temporarily helping healthy individuals who need a helping hand.
It was never intended to be a lifestyle nor a grift for unscrupulous NGO types to rip off.
We now have families 3 and even 4 generations who “live” by gaming our system.
Between that and the fraud and waste currently being uncovered, your $20 billion is almost insignificant.
We spend $150 billion annually net on illegals alone.
It’s estimated that the U.S. spends between $1.8 trillion and $2.6 trillion on social entitlements.
So you can wrap your head around the size of that expenditure, that equates to between $5,250 and $7580 per person in the United States. A whopping $13,700 to $19800 per household.
Most of us get ZERO.
FINALLY, if we eliminate just 20% of the $2.6 trillion in waste, fraud, abuse, or theft annually,
redirecting that money to SOCIAL SECURITY it would insure its solvency indefinitely based on the current SS matrix.
We are spending enough to get everything done but the lack of efficiency of implementing these bureaucratic programs is astronomical.
FACT CHECK THAT
Richard Fay says
There is no standardized approach to assessing “junk food” it is not defined in the law which was last amended in 2025. There are a variety of state level initiatives attempting to “restrict” what a recipient can purchase under the term junk food but no standardized definition. The law goes to great lengths defining “food”.
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (as amended through P.L. 119-21, Enacted July 4 2025}
Definitions SEC. 3. [7 U.S.C. 2012] As used in this Act, the term:
(k) ‘‘Food’’ means (1) any food or food product for home consumption except alcoholic beverages, tobacco, hot foods or hot food products ready for immediate consumption other than those authorized pursuant to clauses (3), (4), (5), (7), (8), and (9) of this subsection, and any deposit fee in excess of the amount of the State fee reimbursement (if any) required to purchase any food or food product contained in a returnable bottle or can, regardless of whether the fee is included in the shelf price posted for the food or food product, (2) seeds and plants for use in gardens to produce food for the personal consumption of the eligible household, ….”
I cut off the definition at this point as the remaining 42 lines of the definition addresses specific circumstances (i.e. retirees, veterans, blind, senior living facilities, etc.). I did a string search using j-u-n-k, the combination of letters does not appear anywhere within 177 page document. So to the point, there is no standardized category of “junk food” but I feel confident that US consumers make poor nutritional choices all the time and they are not demonized. The SNAP benefits are not abused by recipients but some SNAP recipients are thought of as less than by their neighbors. The FOOD AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2008 can be found at this link: https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/COMPS-10331 look on the left hand side of the page, a pdf of the Act is available for download
Deborah Coffey says
This must be Republican Jesus speaking….
Standing in the Middle of Palm Coast Parkway says
Florida TaxWatch warns SNAP changes could cost the state over $1 billion and calls for private contractors to cut error rates. The state’s payment error rate sits at 15.13%, one of the highest in the nation.
“Florida now can hire private contractors and non-profits to improve the administration of SNAP,” Kottkamp said. “Private contractors often have expertise, superior technology, greater staffing flexibility, and better risk management, all of which could enhance the quality of SNAP. Without bringing in outside assistance, it is unlikely that the state of Florida can reduce the SNAP error rate to sufficient levels.”
https://flvoicenews.com/florida-taxwatch-warns-snap-changes-could-cost-state-over-1-billion-calls-for-private-contractors-to-cut-error-rates/
Laurel says
Putting in a middleman of private industry rarely improves situations since the middleman requires profit.
None Ya says
But the lines at food banks are longer and longer. And kids are getting less food at each meal. Some parents are giving parents a piece of toast for breakfast, no lunch and a small meal of Mac n cheese for dinner. So Christian of this state to be proud they kicked people off of food stamps while we’re giving far right Argentina and ISREAL BILLIONS
Laurel says
…and tax cuts for the wealthy.
Ed P says
Hello Laurel,
Tell me exactly which tax cuts for the wealthy are making the poor chilt-ren hungry.
Just saying says
thank a rapeublican! tax breaks for billionaires, endless wars, and tariffs. Cruelty is the point! Most snap recipients are children and people working full time. The pedophile guardians will screw children anyway they can. End GoP Terror!
Jay Tomm says
There are 2 library’s you can do all the online work FOR FREE. The county bus will pick you up & drop you off to each library for free. That is NOT a excuse.
Sarcastic Sally says
Oh yes, the county bus that certainly runs on time and works with the average work schedule. And the library, which is definitely open outside of regular business hours. 👀
Waste not want not says
Or the computer illiterate that has no clue how to use one
Richard Fay says
The information requested on the application should not be entered into a public use computer (i.e. DOB, SS#, etc.) sensitive personal information. I know that some folks do use these computers but it is unsafe and the use of these computers for these purposes places the individual user at risk for identity theft.
Laurel says
Mass transit barely exists in Florida. Sad, but true.
Pogo says
Welcome to Mar-a-Lardo
https://www.google.com/search?q=trump+big+slice+of+chocolate+cake
Déjà vu Mon ami
https://www.google.com/search?q=food+shortages+during+the+French+Revolution
Pogo says
Who knew
… that Flagler County was the retirement, and cosplay, capital of the Western Hemisphere for the Baader-Meinhof gang, Revolutionary Cells (RZ) and PFLP-EO.
It really is a small world.
Waste not want not says
Anybody in decent physical condition can definitely find a job.
Most businesses in town are looking for employees
Once on assistance most never get off of it because of laziness.
I personally know many snap recipients who refuse jobs or more hours just so they don’t want to lose benefits
Not to mention those working for cash so they can continue to recover the free gravy
Richard Fay says
The myths aside, if you are aware of Fraud or Abuse, with a certainty that you truly KNOW the condition of the person report it. These are the concerns our congressional leaders are appraised of regarding problems with the SNAP program: “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Errors and Fraud.” (accessed, 2026, July 30). https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF10860
Atwp says
Say what you like, people are feeling the pinch of voting foe a crazy Republican. Hopefully more Democrats will get elected in November, and vote for a Democrat President in November 2028.
Ed P says
Hello Atwp,
Guess it doesn’t matter who, whether they are qualified, are even the best, or at minimum competent. Just vote DEMOCRAT.
Laurel says
I agree with you, Atwp, but I also believe there are Republicans out there who don’t go for all the crap that is happening now, considering the current Party is not in line with traditional Republican thinking. So, I’m hoping the real Republicans will get out and vote sanity back in government, and end this foolishness. They can go ahead and vote Democratic until their Party stabilizes.
Barry K says
When Flagler Live writes, “In cash issuance for food stamps, the county went from $2.3 million last July to $1.7 million in June, representing a significant cumulative loss of money circulating in the local economy through grocery stores. ”
They assume that all of these people stopped eating. Many of these people got a job and now don’t need a handout from taxpayers. I’m sure that they didn’t stop eating now that they earn their own money. Many others may have moved out of the country and are simply getting food stamps in another county. I’m sure they didn’t stop eating. Others were scamming the system and it caught up with them. I’m sure they didn’t stop eating.
This is typical of liberal media which distorts facts and makes false assertions. Food stamps are meant to be temporary to help someone get through a tough time. I myself received food stamps for 7 months when my wife up and left abandoning me and my two daughters (8 and 3 years old) 35 years ago. After a while I was able to pick up a second job, juggle day care, getting the girls to school and everything else on my own. It was temporary.
My sister collected food stamps for 2 years while single handedly raising her two sons. She also worked two jobs. This was about 40 years ago. She went back to school, finished her degree and got a better job. At that time she no longer needed food stamps. For her and millions of others it worked as it should as a temporary program. For millions of others it is a game of getting what you can with little effort. Our culture was different back then. People a had a different work ethic back then.
Millions of working people pick up a second job or even a third instead of being on the public dole. Perhaps some of those no longer on food stamps in Flagler County did this. I’m dure that those people are still eating contrary to what Flagler Live asserts in this article.
Food stamps and other welfare benefits are meant to be temporary. Unfortunately there are million of people who make living off the taxpayers a generational thing.
Carrie Baird of Flagler Cares opines that many don’t apply because they don’t have internet service. It’s estimated that 4 to 5 percent of Florida’s population without Internet service would pick up internet service if they could afford it. Realistically how many if those in Flagler County want to apply for Food stamps?
Carrie Baird of Flagler Cares and Flagler Live fail to tell you that Flagler Cares and several other organizations in Flagler County will help someone apply for Food Stamps. Another example of liberal media distorting information to express their viewpoint at the expense of the full truth.
Applying for food stamps is not hard. That is evident by the tens of millions of prople who hage navigated the system and receive food stamps The welfare office goes out of their way to help someone applying. For many who don’t apply it’s likely that they simply lack the initiative.
Flagler live could have done a much better job with this article if they had written it as if they were unbiased.
Richard Fay says
This statement ““In cash issuance for food stamps, the county went from $2.3 million last July to $1.7 million in June, representing a significant cumulative loss of money circulating in the local economy through grocery stores. ” is supported by research on the economic effects of SNAP on local economies. It is interesting that SNAP beneficiaries get stigmatized for accessing an economic support program for farmers, the agriculture industry is probably the greatest beneficiary of safety net policies related to food and next. in line maybe local retailers. Farmers will also suffer as a result of the reductions to SNAP but as an interest with lobbyist in Washington and Tallahassee there may be bailouts (not so sure under this current administration) but definitely in future congresses and administrations. This post is full of hope! Unfortunately the hope is hidden by the misconceptions and myths regarding our neighbors and the individuals who are supported by the program.