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In an effort to better educate families about opportunities to obtain government assistance, Colgate University’s Upstate Institute partnered with two Madison County agencies to publicize and simplify the process of applying to the federal food stamp program, resulting in a nearly 30 percent increase in the number of Madison County households taking advantage of the initiative.

The project began in September of 2002 when the county Community Action Program (CAP), along with county Department of Social Services (DSS) and the Upstate Institute, received federal funds to boost participation in the food stamp program.

The team evaluated the system, and in 2003 it was able to:

• Reduce the application form for the program from 16 pages to two;
• Launch a website (www.madisoncountyfoodstamps.org) with tools to pre-screen prospective applicants and submit and process food stamp paperwork;
• Make it easier for consumers to complete forms at convenient locations throughout the county and during traditional and non-traditional working hours;
• Train service providers to assist participants with online applications; and
• Encourage enrollment and touted the nutritional benefits of the program publicly.

Throughout the project, the group collected participation data daily, and tracked the initiative’s progress.

Its findings: Between Oct. 1, 2003, and Sept. 30, 2004, the number of new food stamp cases opened in the county rose to 1,386 — up from 1,072, or 29 percent, the year before.

“The success of the program is evidence of the strength of this collaboration,” said Diane Ryan, division manager of family & adult services for CAP. “The DSS, the Upstate Institute, and CAP have all accomplished together what one organization could not do alone — increase participation in a program which has long been under-utilized.”

“We are extremely encouraged by the results of this project,” added Jill Tiefenthaler, director of the Upstate Institute, professor of economics at Colgate, and a member of the project team. “Cutting the food stamp application down to a more manageable two pages and creating a website for applicants to submit their paperwork seemed to help quite a bit. The main objective of the project was to educate people about the opportunities available to them, and I feel we’ve definitely accomplished that.”

Colgate’s Upstate Institute serves as a resource for organizations and individuals seeking regional expertise or information about upstate New York.

Directed by a senior member of the faculty, the organization has inventoried the interests of more than 40 members of the Colgate faculty and staff whose work relates to upstate New York, from the environment and ecology of the region to its history, arts and economy.