As the number of South Dakotans out of work increases, so does the number of people on food stamps, which mirrors a national trend.

Observers and people using the benefit said it's a result of difficult economic times.

As of Nov. 30, 67,217 state residents were receiving the assistance, an increase of more than 4,700 over a year ago when 62,458 were signed up. Forty percent of that increase was in Minnehaha County alone.

Ashley Cummings of Sioux Falls said she and her boyfriend were approved for food stamps Tuesday after the company for which he was doing drywall work laid off its employees.

"He went to work one day, and he came back with no job," said Cummings, 24. "He was doing good enough to take care of me and our son. Now, everything I took for granted, a lot of things, we don't have."

Hugh Grogan, the county's human services director, said that's a typical example.

The daily lines of people applying for help with rent, groceries, utilities, transportation and health care had been shorter at some times during the month, but have been steady since August, he said.

"Some have to come back the next day because we're working with as many as we can at the time. Our county commission has authorized us hiring two additional staff in part because of that," Grogan said.

Nationwide, participation in the food stamp program, formally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, reached a record high of 31.5 million in September.

South Dakota has had annual increases of 2,000 to 3,000 more people on food stamps for a number of years, said Tarah Jahnig, South Dakota Department of Social Services spokeswoman.

The 28,042 households receiving food stamps receive an average monthly benefit of $275.

Many people applying don't meet the eligibility requirement of 130 percent or less of the federal poverty level, or about $2,100 a month in income for a family of four, Jahnig said.

Cummings knows that firsthand. Even while working at fast-food restaurants, there have been times when she made too much to qualify for food stamps - even missing it once by 96 cents.

"We took for granted all the money we were getting. We didn't save any. We just thought it would keep coming. Then one day, it's gone, and we're completely broke," she said.