FLORENCE CO. -- Due to the sharp increase in Florence County's poverty rate, economic support workers like Sharon Johnson have seen their workloads sky rocket.

The county's poverty rate rose from 9 percent to 16 percent over the last 10 years.

"It's pretty much new people coming in that have either been laid off or laid off permanently or the self-employed who have seen a decrease in their income," said Johnson.

The number of people receiving food stamps in the county more than quadrupled since 2000, going from 63 to 290.  The number of people receiving medical support also rose from 400 to nearly 1,000.

Department of Human Services Director Jen Steber said the increase is linked to the economy and the federal government.

"The increase has to do with the number of unemployed in the area,” said Steber.  “We also have a lot of elderly in our county, and they are trying to survive on their Social Security benefits which, as most of us know, have not increased in the last two years."

One of the most telling statistics is the amount of money Florence County has given in food stamps.  Back in 2000, the number was around $62,000.  Today it's ballooned to more than $600,000.

So what's the solution?

Johnson said getting the help available is a good start even without a long-term solution in sight.

"You're not the only one out there, and we're here to help,” she said.  “There are a lot of people that are in a situation where you need to put food on your table for your family."

For more information on benefits available to Wisconsin residents, go to https://access.wisconsin.gov.