S. N. A. P. (better known as food stamps)

I was not aware they changed the name either It does make sense that they did change it. I agree programs that people need are not made avaible. I know in the county I live in, the welfare office will not let you know where the food banks are if you have any income coming in at all. You have to be completely broke before they will give you a list. I think that is wrong in my option.

What does that mean? We do not have free food from our Government here. But our government has many incentives for the hardcore poor like giving them free houses and good incentives for farmers too. Say if a farmer can sell his produce for $1,000 in open market the government will top it up with another $1,000. That makes him richer by $1,000.

On top of that when you do qualify then you have to deal with members of the Church who work at the grocery store telling others that you qualify for such a program casting you in a disparaging light because you don't make more money and forcing you to carry a stigma that you don't deserve. Being poor is not a sin or a crime, but if you are the system can be really stacked against your ability to do better. The people that look down on others who don't have more creates or perpetuates the oppression and suppression of the poor from moving up the social ladder and climbing up out of poverty into the middle class... Our cost of living out paces our ability to get out of debt, Houston this is a problem.

I didn't know they changed the name. But it does makes sense. I just call it the food card.

I didn't know it was called "snaps" either. I know of the food stamp program. I am a single mom...no child support and let me tell you...I am working hard to avoid even going there. It's tough. I have like a ton of pride. I'd probably give up my internet and cable before I went that route. I really really hope it doesn't come to that. I was raised under the belief that no one owes us anything in this world and it is hard....maybe impossible for me to shake that. I just have this thing. Like if I go for food stamps and I am still on this computer, then I'm maybe taking from the funds that someone worse off than me needs. I know it is there and I am not sure if I qualify or not. I just think people need to be really really in need before they go that route. Maybe I'm just too brainwashed by the parents but I think internet is a luxery for many...same with cable.

Hello I think this is a good program, if you don't have small children forget about it, you don't get much being on disability trying to cover your rent and other household bills you will think these people will get a little more assistance no way, food is so expensive how do they expect people to manage, its really unfair I use to get this years ago, when I was too young to actually work, what they gave me was not enough to make ends meet, this only showed him that I had to make good money in order to take care of my family, really how do they expect people to survive from what they give them, if you have 2 or children you get enough to last for the month. Thank you.

I have heard of the food stamp program also. I sis not know that they had changed the name of it though. I knew they were now using a card instead of the stamps or coupons though. I think that is great.

i think food stamps are such a better idea than what we have here in ontario (canada). here, we rely on food banks and because of the economy, people are not donating as much as normal so therefore there is not as much available at the food banks for those in need.

Sadly it doesn't matter if you can locate the information on these programs or not. The problem is qualifying for them! My mom made that average you listed at one point on disability & she only got $10/mo. Why go thru so much red tape for $10 in benefits?!?!? I was talking to a friend of mine and she said when she went to WIC they told her to apply for food stamps. She informed them that when she looked into the food pantry that she was too high of income for them to help her. So if the food pantry wich is more leinient than food stamps are denied her than why would someone bother with applying for food stamps only to get denied. She's upset that she can only use her credit card to buy her family groceries & sadly I'm in the same boat. Then one day when we can't afford our minimums and our cards get cut off then what do we do? We both have a spouse working, but making more than "poverty" but not much more than to cover the mortgage ect anymore. Then you have people tell you well then get a job! Well tell me where someone who's been home with their kids can find money to pay for the child care to go back full time???????? I"m not poor enough to get child care help, but not rich enough to pay for it. I"m sorry but when you start at the bottom of the totem pole at the only place hiring (retail or fast food) I assure you that you are not starting @ $20-25/hour one would need to make to even stay out of the red. Sorry bout my soap box but there are sooo many of us barely getting by, and we get told too bad... you own a house (mortgaged of course) and have a car you are "rich" NOT TRUE! I live in a 60yo house that is in desperate need of upgrades but Mr President & Congress thing some cruddy tax incentive will make me spend money I don't have in the first place... alright I've said too much...

Interesting news, I never knew that so many people needed this assistance. I'm glad that the program still exists because a lot of people are having trouble feeding their families. Another program is Angel Food services, most of those are through churches and considered an outreach program. I've had to use Angel Food before.

I have tried to read the link and my goodness how complicated is that.I do hope everyone can read properly.Mind you it must be a big help to low income households .They are doing something like this in England,I only found out about this scheme by accident as I watched a news programme as this man was waiting for his benefits to kick in after a few weeks,I thought making someone wait that long for benefits to start up was disgusting.How on earth can they do this to people as my husband pays over £100 pound a week in tax ,everyone should get what they need straight away after all it is not their fault they have lost their jobs.Personally I think the banks should provide these food parcels as it is their fault we are in this state in the first place.The programme showed people turning up at the house with boxes of food to the proud man with little kids going through the boxes like it was christmas.My god it was food,what is this world coming to when honest hardworking people are reduced to this.It bought a tear to my eye,it made me realise how lucky I am to have my husband in a job and live in relative comfort.Apparently when you go shopping you can buy a few extra bits and give them to the ladies who distribute the food to the needy,a brilliant idea.We don't mind paying taxes then putting stuff in the collection as well.We are all two wage packets away from this it is a frightening world to live in today.

S.N.A.P. is terrible they turned me down because I was paying an auto loan, they assume because I can afford monthly payments on a car I can afford food. What about the people who own their car, don't they save up more money than I do?

I have issues with the Food Stamp programs in every state as they don't really seem to be designed to help the people who truly need them as I see them handed out more and more frequently to people that don't even try to make a life for themselves and would rather just sit back and reap all of the rewards that the states happen to hand out to them. I think that with every program offered through the states that there should be gidelines and limitations as to how long of a timeframe an individual can live off of the state. I guess that I feel that after a certain length of time an individual should be required to be self-sufficient which would also allow for people who truly do need the assistance to be able to get it and get themselves back on their feet.