The Statistical Abstract files are distributed by the US Census Department as Microsoft Excel files. These files have data mixed with notes and references, multiple tables per sheet, and, worst of all, the table headers are not easily matched to their rows and columns.

A few files had extraneous characters in the title. These were corrected to be consistent. A few files have a sheet of crufty gibberish in the first slot. The sheet order was shuffled but no data were changed.

The tables that were changed (this is table 551):

0166 0257 0362 0429 0445 0446 0459 0461 0462 0464 0465 0466 0467
0469 0479 0480 0481 0482 0483 0484 0485 0486 0487 0559 0628 0629
1144 1227 1231

This dataset consists of a table of 45 rows and 29 columns.

20.1 represents 20,100,000. For years ending September 30. Program data include Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Marianas, and the former Trust Territory when a federal food program was operated in these areas. Participation data are average monthly figures except as noted (4.3 represents 4,300,000). Participants are not reported for the special milk program, the nutrition program for the elderly and the commodity distribution programs. Cost data are direct federal benefits to recipients; they exclude federal administrative payments and applicable state and local contributions. Federal costs for commodities and cash-in-lieu of commodities are shown separately from direct cash benefits for those programs receiving both

Footnotes

1. Puerto Rico was included in the food stamp program
   until June 30, 1982.
2. Reduced-price lunches were not reported separately
   prior to FY 1972; they were included with free.
3. Average monthly participation (excluding summer
   months of June through August). Includes children in
   public and private elementary and secondary schools and
   in residential child care institutes.
4. WIC serves pregnant and postpartum women, infants,
   and children up to age five.
5. CSFP is a food distribution alternative to WIC which
   also serves needy elderly persons.
6. CACFP provides year-round subsidies to feed
   preschool children in child care centers and family day
   care homes. Certain care centers serving disabled or
   elderly adults also receive meal subsidies.
7. Average quarterly daily attendance at participating
   institutions.
8. Program provides free meals to children in poor
   areas during summer months. The decrease in fiscal
   year 2002 activity was due primarily to alternative
   meal service in the national School Lunch and School
   Breakfast programs under Seamless Waiver legislation
   provisions (a paperwork reduction initiative).
9. Peak month (July) average daily attendance at
   participating institutions.
10. Prior to nationwide availability of FSP by the end
    of FY 1975, food distrubution was an alternative form
    of needy family assistance. In subsequent years, it
    was retained as an option for Indian tribes which
    preferred food distribution to food stamps.
11. The Older Americans Act Amendments of 2000 changed
    the program’s name from the Nutrition Program for the
    Elderly (NPE) to the Nutrition Services Incentive
    Program (NSIP). In FY 2002, the reporting of meals was
    transferred to the Agency of Aging (AoA), Department of
    Health and Human Service. Administration of NSIP was
    assumed by AoA the subsequent year except for commodity
    distribution.
12. Includes the federal cost of commodity
    entitlements, cash-in-lieu of commodities, and bonus
    foods.
13. Provides free commodities to needy persons for home
    consumption through food banks, hunger centers, soup
    kitchens, and similar nonprofit agencies.
    Includes the Emergency Food Assistance Program, the
    commodity purchases for soup kitchens/food banks
    program (FY 1989 to 96), and commodity disaster relief.

Application Gallery