(Washington, DC) Department of Human Services (DHS) Interim Director Kate Jesberg announced today that the District of Columbia has been awarded more than $600,000 in federal bonuses by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for ensuring that District residents who are eligible for food stamps have access to the program and for outstanding administration of the Food Stamp program.

The District has been awarded a $350,003 bonus for timely processing of applications for food stamps by the DHS Income Maintenance Administration (IMA), which is responsible for administration of the Food Stamp program. The District ranks among the top six jurisdictions in the nation for its operation of the program. The second bonus, totaling $293,222, was awarded to the District for outstanding customer service in providing residents access to the Food Stamp program.  The District also ranks among the top jurisdictions in the nation in this area.

“IMA has once again demonstrated the District’s ability to deliver outstanding services to low-income residents,” said Kate Jesberg, DHS Interim Director.

This is the third consecutive year that the District has received an award for outstanding customer service and participant access to the critical food assistance program. The District has now received five monetary bonuses from the USDA totaling more than $2 million. The recent bonuses make the District the second most highly awarded jurisdiction in the nation under the TANF bonus structure.     

“This is recognition by the federal government of our commitment to customer service and our goal of ensuring access to services for all who are eligible,” said Sharon Cooper-DeLoatch, Acting Administrator for IMA.