Using food stamps to fuel Philadelphia’s economy

City works to sign up senior citizens for food, medical and other assistance that they already qualify for. Mayor Nutter says that can help fuel businesses.

Philadelphia says it can boost the city’s economy by signing up more seniors for food and medical assistance.

BenePhilly is the program designed to make sure Senior Citizens are signed up for entitlement programs such as SNAP, formerly known as food stamps. Mayor Michael Nutter says a half million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will help sign up even more people who don’t know they qualify.

“Many older Philadelphians are missing out on these benefits upwards of $110 million in federal and state benefits each year. That money would not only help those individuals but it would circulate through our economy and given what’s going on in the city state and nation having those dollars available could not be more important at this time.”

The goal is to sign up another 5,000 people for food, medical and energy assistance and use the Philadelphia model as a statewide blueprint.