The number of homeless in the state has risen dramatically in the past few years. More than 16,000 people are living in Missouri’s homeless shelters, up 42 percent from just a few years ago, according to a new census. And, advocates for the homeless say that number is actually lower the the real amount. Peter De Simone with the Missouri Association Social Welfare, an advocacy group for the poor, says some help can be obtained by better managing the food stamp program. And, De Simone says better distribution of food stamps would not costany more in state tax dollars because those food stamps are already a federal benefit.
