$250,000 investment for a $43 million dollar return? Not a bad investment. Much better than we've seen for billions spent of the TARP funds, with little transparency and no oversight. And some of you would be surprised what a dollar can get you at the local dollar store. Could make the difference in whether or not you can make a sandwich tonight.
One dollar gets you one thing at a dollar store, at most 2, and typically not a food item unless you're counting candy and how is providing a piece of candy as a source of sustenance doing anyone a favor? If someone gave me a dollar and said 'here, go buy yourself something to eat and don't forget to get something for the little ones' I think I'd slap them.
There are two food aisles in my dollar store, and a refrigerator wall. And one item is sometimes all that it takes to make a difference. Washington State isn't saying the one dollar will save people, but the resulting 43 million probably will.
I can get rice, pasta, canned food, etc. at the Dollar Store. It's deflated prices, but FFS. I'm poor.