The number of Erie County residents in the food stamp program is the highest its been in 20 years. One in 5 people, or 20.5 percent, in the county are on food stamps. In all, more than 57,000 Erie County residents are on food stamps, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. About 38,000 city of Erie residents, or nearly 37 percent, are on food stamps, a 24 percent increase from 2009.