SPEAK OUT: Should There Be Food Stamp Parties?

Tupperware, Botox ... now, it seems food stamp parties are in. And the United States government likes it.

According to a post on foxnews.com, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is encouraging the nation's food stamp program to promote to the elderly using parties and games.

Do you think food stamp parties are a good idea? Tell us in the comments below.

A series of guides currently posted on the USDA website promotes local offices of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- or SNAP, but commonly referred to as food stamps -- to entice eligible seniors to enroll in the welfare program. The promotional campaign has cost between $2.5 million and $3 million. 

“Throw a Great Party. Host social events where people mix and mingle,” the pamphlet encourages in one of the guides. “Make it fun by having activities, games, food, and entertainment, and provide information about SNAP. Putting SNAP information in a game format like BINGO, crossword puzzles, or even a ‘true/false’ quiz is fun and helps get your message across in a memorable way.”

And there likely is a substantial market for such gatherings. The latest available data shows that about 7 percent of Cobb County's population is on food stamps. The program once actually distributed stamps, but now doles out the benefits via check cards.

Spending on SNAP has increased 100 percent since President Obama took office, and now one in seven Americans uses food stamps, according to the posting.

"Every $5 in new SNAP benefits generates $9.20 in an additional community spending," the USDA states without elaborating.