About 19,000 poor residents in Buchanan County have gotten a hefty increase in their monthly food stamps from the federal economic stimulus.

The increase gives about an extra $24 to each eligible person per month who is enrolled in the federal food stamp program. That amounts to an additional $72 for a family of three, and $96 for a family of four.

Food stamp households began receiving the increase on April 1 to contend with putting food on the table during a recession.

In making the announcement, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the increase will stimulate local economies because food stamps are typically spent quickly. Already, grocery stores report an economic impact.

Hy-Vee in St. Joseph reported a $13,000 increase in food stamp purchases in the first week of April, compared to the first week of March.

At Kovac's Super Foods, located near a low-income neighborhood at 22nd Street and Frederick Avenue, food stamp customers are buying higher-quality foods with the extra money. "When you increase spending power, people eat better," assistant manager John Thompson said.

The increase comes at a time when the number of people who need federal aid to eat has been breaking records since November.

Nearly 1 million Missourians - one in six people in the state - needed federal food help in February, the Missouri Department of Social Services reported in its most recent monthly report.

Of those, 18,733 individuals in 6,255 households in Buchanan County claimed about $1.5 million in food stamp benefits, said Arleasha Mays, a spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Social Services, amounting to an average of $82.67 per person. They will now receive about $106 per month.

Ahmad Safi can be reached at ahmadsafi@npgco.com.