Comments on: Things I Learned This Week: Food Stamps

By: eve

eve — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:18:36 +0000

Back in the eighties, we came on hard times and went to the food stamp office for help. They told us, both of us, had to go and put in fifty applications a piece showing we were looking for work just to get a one month help with food stamps. Our relatives couldn’t help us, it was bad for everyone at the time. We didn’t have gas money to go to what would have been 100 places. We ended up going to a food pantry and they helped us for the month until my DH got the money that was owed him for a job. All we wanted was one month’s help and they wouldn’t do it. Also, you don’t put in an application when you are a sheetrock hanger. You are self employed but we couldn’t make the lady understand that.

By: Milehimama

Milehimama — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:48:46 +0000

Thanks for the tip, Heather!

I’ve looked into Angelfood ministries, but my oldest son can’t have certain kinds of food so it’s a better use of money to purchase what we CAN eat ourselves. However, if anyone else uses Angelfood, Hillbilly Housewife (www.hillbillyhousewife.com) posts monthly menus using the boxes!

By: Heather

Heather — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:51:44 +0000

I just read about your situation. If you have not already, you could check into Angel food ministries. I don’t believe they have requirements and they have some centers in Texas. I hope this helps!
http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

By: Laurie

Laurie — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:43:46 +0000

There is currently a class action lawsuit against the state of Texas for the long food stamp wait times. 40% of the applicants are made to wait past the federally mandated 30 day approval guidelines. We will be severely reduced on ours come the recert period as I have found a job. We will maybe receive 25% of what we were receiving. We are cutting back on what we have for the next 2 months so we can stretch out the remainder of the benefits.

By: Marie

Marie — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:30:56 +0000

I told my husband about this, he said it just goes to show if you are going to use food stamps you’d better plan ahead. None of those “waiting until you’re sure you need it” scruples. . . . what a shame for our country.

By: Bread lines « Two Ways of Renouncing the Devil

Bread lines « Two Ways of Renouncing the Devil — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:18:46 +0000

[...] reading the story from this lady about her need to fall for a minute into the safety net our government has set up because any of us [...]

By: Kaira

Kaira — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:53:09 +0000

I just read Shelli’s comment and she makes a great point. Many people wait too long to ask for help. For me, I’d rather know right away if a friend needs help. We don’t have a lot of wiggle room in our budget so if I know my neighbor (honestly, my neighbor really burns me so this is hard to write) needs help – I’d like to know so I can plan how to work them into my budget. For example, maybe I’ll skip a splurge at the grocery store and get give that $ away instead. Also, with the way people are losing jobs these days, it’s good to help while we have a job!

Two thumbs up for you for prepping for the future! This is such a testimony to why we should all store up for lean seasons.

By: Milehimama

Milehimama — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:10:31 +0000

Ok, I caved to peer pressure

I put up a donate button. I’ve truly overwhelmed at the people who have contacted me to help our family! Thank you so much!

By: Shelli

Shelli — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:39:16 +0000

I agree that a donate button would be a great idea.

I hear so many people say that they would love to help out (not just here but in real life as well) but folks don’t let them or people don’t speak up until they are desparate. Don’t wait until it get’s bad. Let us help.

By: rosamundi

rosamundi — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:32:33 +0000

Our local food pantry also has a broken system. Their requirements are even more stringent than the food stamp office, requiring a certified birth certificate for every child in the house before they will give the poor any food.

Presumably, this is so they know the children actually exist? If I were a wicked woman, I’d suggest turning up at the food pantry with all eight of them in tow…