We
covered food stamps about six weeks ago, when we wrote about an NYU grad student who was enrolled in the program—and how the school's student-run news blog, NYU local, reacted rather poorly. (Basically, they were shocked to see that a student from NYU had come to rely on food stamps.)
But a new
article in The New York Times suggests that the stigma attached to food stamps might be on its way out. Once considered lazy, desperate, or perhaps a purely lower-class necessity, The Times reports that 20,000 people enroll in the program every day, and a growing number of them are coming from the suburbs.
In fact, 36 million Americans rely on food stamps in some capacity, according to The Times. The program, formally the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, supports one in eight Americans and one in four children.
Of course, the recession is responsible for the program's glut in enrollments, but former president George W. Bush is also partially to thank. While in office, Bush re-dubbed the stamps "nutritional aid" (as opposed to welfare) and simplified the application process, thus decreasing the stigma and increasing accessibility.
Still, only two-thirds of people eligible for food stamps are actually enrolled in the program, and this number varies dramatically per state—98 percent of eligible Missouri residents participate, for example, but only 50 percent of eligible Californians do the same. Some experts are calling on states to make it easier for Americans to apply to the program.
If you're interested in applying for food stamps, a number of states offer
online applications.
Do you know anyone on food stamps? Are you surprised to learn that people from the suburbs are enrolling, or that the numbers varies per state?Image Source
Comments (17)
Ugh, I was waiting in line behind a guy using food stamps at the grocery store. He had to make two transactions. He bought "necessities" with food stamps and then had to buy his beer carton and jumbo shrimp with his own money. I don't ever buy beer or jumbo shrimp because my money has to go toward necessities and taxes, but then, I'm not on food stamps. So, I am indirectly enabling him to buy his beer and shrimp, while I have to give up a large portion of my paycheck and wait longer to enable him to do so. Does that sound fair to anyone?
My husband and I both worked 40 hours a week on opposing shifts (so we didn't need to hire a babysitter) and we needed to apply for food stamps in order to make it. The income limits are pretty moderate, actually - it's not for the dirt poor only, but for the "working poor", which sadly, includes a lot of teachers.
Things are much better now, and I'm glad for that, but I won't regret doing what I needed to do for my family. It's not just the people who sit on their asses and have more babies just to qualify for more welfare, etc. who receive food stamps. It's middle class America as well.
We have applied for food stamps and, for months now, have been jumping through constant hoops, just to get them. I applied in August and we have yet to get anything.
For every person out there who "abuses" the system, there are MANY more who actually need it.
As a convenience store employee, I'm a little jaded on the subject.
People come in all the time buying complete crap. The three most common things I see bought on food stamps at my work are pop, beef jerky, and candy bars.
I don't understand why these items are food stampable in the first place.
At least the recession made people slightly more accepting to food stamps.
@lewk@xanga - I've always wondered why those are accepted by the foodstamp card in the first place also. My family is on food stamps at the moment, but I make a point of buying vegetables, staples, and milk. It is irritating when I see an overweight family ahead of me in line using their card to get pop and chips because they just perpetuate the stereotype that I have to deal with from strangers that food stamp users are lazy and use it to buy junk.
Well, my fiancee is on food stamps. And I don't think he should have to be ashamed of it, but he is. He is only 22 and he takes care of his 17,15, and 14 year old brothers because their parents are not around. Before his brothers came to live with him, he was fine. He even actually had spending money and was able to afford a nice truck. Now with the added monetary burden of three teenage boys, he can barely pay all his bills. I think its terrible that he feels like he has to hide the fact that he gets help, when he only needs them because he is a good brother.
So when you feel like judging those on food stamps, think about situations like these instead of the ones who abuse them. The ones who abuse them will never change, but its people like my fiancee who are the reason the system even exists.
We used to use food stamps, back when my parent's combined income was only $18,000. It's good for those that use it in the way that it's intended, but not for those that abuse it
@lewk@xanga - I work at a supermarket and see much of the same. I think a lot of people do need foodstamps but there should be limits on what you can buy to curtail abuse: like no soda, no candy, no chips. Buy the essentials! You obviously have no money, why are you wasting it on junk food? But I also get annoyed when they buy a hundred dollars worth of lobster.. if you can spend that much of your foodstamp allowance on lobster.. you obviously don't need it because that's not going to feed you for a whole month. Most "middle class" suburban families I know can't afford a hundred dollars worth of lobster. Sometimes you eat better on foodstamps! My family only buys soda and chips around the holidays because we can't afford it.
im a full time student on food stamps. Am i ashamed? Nope. Theres barely any jobs out there for ppl who are seeking nonetheless for students like me who need the flexible hours. So i went on food stamps just to help alleviate my monthly cost. Since im studying n maxing out loans for rent the best I can do is make sure my health and hunger is taken care of every month. its a tought wrld out there, not everyone is taking advantage of the system, even students like me needs it. The recession affects everyone, from the top dogs on wall street to the rats in the subway system.
@lewk@xanga - I work at a supermarket and I see the same thing every day! People buy chips and candy with food stamps, and then beer and cigarettes with cash. Then the food stamp balance is like $740.38 or something crazy like that. The worst part is when people with kids buy all kinds of junk food and soda, and don't get milk or fruit or ANYTHING good. Ugh. I have yet to see a person use food stamps responsibly.
I know several people on food stamps. I'm not on food stamps myself, but I used to be. And my mother had been when I was a child.
I only know one or two people who feel it is a desperate or low-class thing to be on food stamps, everyone else I know doesn't really care. They feel if you need it, you need it, and there's no shame in doing what you have/need to in order to get what you need. Everyone's gotta eat.
Then again, I live in Missouri where apparently 98 percent of people who are eligible are enrolled. I didn't know that, but it doesn't surprise me. :p Either way, considering so many of the eligible are enrolled, that must be why so many people I've come across and even know very well don't look down on those who need to use food stamps. :p
@heartofave- The Foodstamp program gives the ability to purchase items such as fresh fruit and vegetable, meat,fish,milk, etc... theses are items that may not be able to be purchased when you have to choose between a granny smith apple or bus fare. Indivuduals don't always make the best choices and some of that may be based on upbringing, knowledge of food prepartion or literacy. I was at my local grocer purchasing a plum and the cashier asked me what kind of fruit it was because she had to key it in and she works there! SNAP(formally Foodstamps program) serves a need that is real to so many of us. When you are able to provide food for your children today, it gives you one less thing to worry about so you can focus on what you can do to make your situation better.
@tracezilla@lovelyish - Yeah, I live in Missouri, too and indeed, everyone is on foodstamps. (well, everyone who is lower-class, money-wise.)
@PhotographicWords@xanga - I think they should have limits on what you can buy, like with WIC. WIC only gives tickets/coupons for certain foods that are considered wholesome and essential for a young one's growth. Same thing should apply to Food Stamps. If you are going to use the tax payer's money, spend it wisely.
Working in retail. I know first hand there are alot that abuse the way foodstamps is there to help you. Then there are a few that need it that are struggling but aren't completely relying on Foodstamps and say F* it and soly live for welfare. they get the help they need and then stop when the better job or whatever the sitation is gets better...
Wic is completely different then foodstamps. Wic is for the health and nurtriants of the woman and the baby/child of course it goes toward whomeevr is in the household. Thats why it is more specfic(sp) and they have tickets/cards type checks that say what you can get. This is due to the fact they want preganant woman and young children not to be loaded with tons of crabs or tons of surgar, tons of fat. They have certain things for health reasons.
Food stamps is strickly that--FOOD, non perpared food. There are regulations on foodstamps...to the first person that mentioned about the jumbo shrimp. I'm not sure if this is different state to state but in PA you can get any kind of deli or seafood as long as it's not hot.. being hot (steamed shrimp) is considered perpared. So you can get a tons of tastycakes and chips which are very unhealthy or you can get steak and hamburger, shrimp, which may not be too healthy but alot better then the junk...
I do agree that if you are going to spend the tax payers' money to spend it wisely. I completely agree with this. Considering around where I live and where I worked for many years, I seen all types of people use foodstamps and get tons of differnet things with them, then they get that one thing they have to pay for and pull out a load of money.. This makes me so made, they go out to the car and pull away in a brand new meracdes bends.. WTF! really, why are you on foodstamps if you have a brand new car..
ANYWAY this is the thing, we can not question these things. We can all we want but we won't get anywhere.
I wish I would get an answer for this.... a woman that has 2 children can go in and get foodstamps and cash assistance without a second glance, family (mother, father, teenage child) hit rock bottom and go for help and get denied!! There was no food in the house, the teenager had to go to a family member's house every evening after school in order to eat dinner, and had to ask friends at school to help with lunch or go without lunch at school. The bills were barely being paid, and the father was working very hard. (there was a wage attachment out of the blue that took away his money) he was relaying on a check he got from his second job every 2 weeks. Which covered bills alone, at this point rent wasn't even paid for, for 4 months. This is a father whom, raised 6 other children (now out of the house) and worked 40plus years. THe mom never worked was stay at home.
this will always stick to me that.. Welfare and help that is out there turned there head away from this. They just wanted the help for a few months it wasn't forever it was until the wage attachement went away and the fact there was no for warning of the attachment... (Hence you receive the letter the day AFTEr you have your check that is 500 dollars LESS then usual)..
The cost of living in this country has forced a lot of people to abandon their pride and seek much needed help from our government. It is a shame but more families than not go hungry in this country. The way our society is constructed, the people that do work do not make enough to pay their bills, and if they can manage to pay their bills they do not have enough money to buy food.
While I do agree that food stamps need to be there for those who truly need help, something needs to change.
I work at a grocery store, and I can't tell you how many times I've seen people buy $400 in frozen TV dinners, chips, Hostess cakes, and the like. I've even had people buy massive quanitites of junk, look at the total and say "Could you imagine if we actually had to pay for this?" That infuriates me, because other people have to pay for it through taxes.
More restrictions or classes about making food choices could improve the situation.
WOW!! So much animosity over something as simple as FoodStamps....I can say like everyone else that you shouldnt judge unless you know the full story but that's just it...It is not your business to know why I need FoodStamps....If only you would govern (I'm sorry I really mean BASH) your Congressmen or Governor the way you all are trying to police people who receive FoodStamps....I have been battling with the FoodStamp office for 5 long months to only be approved this month for $87 a month....It's thru my agile & creative usage of coupons, great sales and a winsome spirit, that has gotten me and my family thru these past few months......So, because I feel like splurging on a $3 bag of chips for my son to enjoy, I am abusing the taxpayers hard-earned wages (do you gripe about your tax dollars when you find out that your Governor, Senator, even your county-elect Mayor used your tax dollars to fund their very nice and expensive vacations, hobbies or what have you)...Yes, like everything in life, there are those that will abuse the system....But here in Florida, receiving FoodStamps is not a simple matter, you go thru HELL, before you receive any type of assistance....You people should be ashame of yourselves....I never understood how Americans can rush to the aide of a country that is in need but will criticize and not offer one iota of assistance to a fellow American in need...I will not abuse my FoodStamps...Fortunately for me, I was brought up how to food shop....But, because I now know how to shop sales, use coupons, you will rarely see me buy the storebrand....Without FoodStamps, my total was always less than $9 for $75 worth of food (mostly all name brand), I dont expect this to change with FoodStamps...The only thing the $87 will ensure is that I am able to offer more meat than potatoes to my family....I will be purchasing a very nice meat plan from the meat market...But that is just me....You shouldnt criticize others....Some people just dont know how to shop or what to buy...Like you, they buy what they like....Maybe the government should teach a class but a class taught by the government wont preach about sales, or bargains (afterall, what does our government know about bargains. Have you seen our deficit?) My point is keep an open mind when you're shopping and harboring judgement! Who knows? I might be judging you for buying items that's not on sale and paying full price when there is a perfectly good coupon to use in the store sales paper that you are holding in your hand!!