Lieutenant Governor Mark Parkinson, Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Secretary Don Jordan and Kansas Department of Labor Secretary Jim Garner today announced aspects of the American Recovery Act that will help Kansans in their time of need. “Right now, our country is experiencing an economic crisis not seen since the Great Depression. Every state, every community and every American is being impacted by this recession. But there is hope – there are opportunities on the horizon and there are better days ahead,” Parkinson said. “We must bridge the gap between our troubled times and a better tomorrow by helping families-in-need and out-of-work Kansans.” “There is a strong correlation between the Kansas unemployment rate and the food stamp caseload. While it is still too early to know exactly how big an impact the current economic situation will have on food assistance participation rates, we do expect to see an increase,” Secretary Jordan said. “These additional resources will help Kansas families put food on the table.” “As of March 4th, unemployed Kansans began receiving an additional $25 in their weekly benefit payments. While $25 a week may not sound like a lot of money, it means a tank of gas or an extra bag of groceries each week for a family impacted by a layoff. And it’s significant for our state’s economy, as well. Had the additional $25 a week been available in the month of February, it would have meant an additional $5.9 million circulating in our state economy,” Secretary Garner said. “I’m also extremely proud of our IT staff and everyone at the Department who helped to implement this quickly. They know this extra money is critical to unemployed Kansans, and they worked around the clock to make it happen.”