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RALEIGH – Less stringent income rules will soon make it easier for North Carolina residents to get help buying food as new rules for food stamps go into effect on July 1.

Officials said it was the poor economy that prompted the state to take advantage of a federal option to ease income requirements. They expect about 30 percent more North Carolinians to qualify for the state's federally funded food and nutrition services program.

During the application process, a lot of factors are taken into consideration to determine if families qualify for the program, including gross income, the number of people in the household, how much families pay for rent or mortgage, utilities and whether they pay for child care.

Right now, the program is available to people whose gross income is less than 130 percent of the federal poverty level. It will change to a gross income of less than 200 percent of the poverty level for applicants in July, and officials say the expansion will help families who are struggling to make ends meet.

“They've lost their job, they're having to rely on unemployment benefits, they're having to rely on their savings, anything that they have currently to make ends meet,” Dean Simpson, of the Division of Social Services, said. “With the new change in policy, this will allow them to possibly receive supplements to their nutritional budget, and that way, they'll be able to put more food on the table for families.”

Contact your local social services department to find out if you qualify.