Nation IN BRIEF : NATIONWIDE : Food Stamp Program Hits Record Level

Enrollment in the federal food stamp program surged to a record in September as millions more Americans sought the government’s help to buy groceries and feed their children hot lunches, the latest Agriculture Department records show. The September enrollment in federal food programs rose sharply from a year ago, including a 3.26-million increase in food stamp participation and a 1.3-million jump in the number of low-income children receiving a free or reduced-price lunch at school, according to USDA figures. The figures show that a record 23.76 million Americans were receiving food stamps in September, compared to 23.59 million in August and 20.5 million in September, 1990. Children receiving free lunches account for 42.2% of the 24.5 million school lunches being served nationwide.